


Roses and Thorns

by JustAWritingAmateur



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe, And Romance, And it gets resolved, Beauty and the Beast AU, Cat and Mouse, F/M, Murder, Seduction, Sexytimes, This is very very lemons ok, Trustshipping - Freeform, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, kind of, planned murder, with sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-05-24 14:48:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 117,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6157113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAWritingAmateur/pseuds/JustAWritingAmateur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Trustshipping. Inspired by "Beauty and the Beast." When antiquities appraiser Marik Ishtar makes a terrible mistake, embarrassing Seto Kaiba in front of a rival, Seto swears revenge on the Ishtar family. To save Marik and their business, Ishizu volunteers to be Seto's prisoner in Marik's stead. Will her sacrifice pay off? And is Seto Kaiba nothing more than a monster? COMPLETE.</p><p>Finally posting to AO3. Yay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. White Rose

"I'll go."

Her voice, quiet but clear, cut through the ghastly crackling tension in the room. Hands folded behind her back, a hint of resignation threaded through with desperation in her voice, she looked into the tall man's cold eyes and swallowed hard before continuing.

"I'll go instead. You want a hostage, right? Don't take my brother,  _please-_ take me instead-" Her hands dropped to her sides, fists clenching as she anticipated reaction, nails digging into palms almost deep enough to draw blood.  _Please… show some mercy…_

Seto Kaiba cocked his head to the side as his sneer faded; he looked almost thoughtful as he considered her proposition.

_Take his sister instead? What an intriguing idea, that-_

He swept his eyes over her body quickly-not so quickly that she didn't notice, didn't feel his eyes crawling across her flesh-her body, hidden by a simple, boxy long dress, her delicate neck, veins pulsing rapidly as her heart rattled in her chest-her startling blue-green eyes and shining black hair, trailing along one shoulder in an intricate braid…  _She's certainly no eyesore-_

_She could quite definitely be of use to me-_

Marik's eyes widened as the gravity of what his sister was asking of Kaiba fully dawned upon him; he pushed his glasses up his nose with a shaking hand.  _Sister… what could she possibly be thinking right now?_ His voice emerged, strangled and high-pitched as he darted to her side, grabbing both her hands and squeezing them tightly, his eyes meeting hers helplessly-hopelessly.

"Ishizu-don't be ridiculous... This is  _my_  fault-it's all my fault-I won't let you suffer because  _I_ made this mistake…!" Voice growing thick, cracking along the edges as he sniffed, trying uselessly to hold back tears-the tears that threatened to bubble over his eyes. Unmake him before his own sister-before this cruel,  _cruel_  man-

Ishizu lifted her brother's hand, still clutching her own, and kissed it briefly, gently, before her forehead crinkled, lower lip wobbling, as she responded, quietly, almost raggedly: "Marik-if you go, who will run the company? Odion?  _Me_? We have nowhere  _near_  your level of expertise in these matters-without you, our business wouldn't stand a chance…" She breathed in a cool breath, hoping to stop the quailing of her stomach, the bile rising in her throat-to appear strong and confident for her brother, able to handle the seriousness of her decision-

Marik rolled his eyes, nose growing red, scoffing almost sadly as a tear slipped down his cheek. " _I'm_ the expert? Yes, Ishizu-that certainly did a lot of good for us, didn't it…"  _I'm such an idiot. I'm such a fool-and now my sister wants to pay the price-_

Seto merely crossed his arms and looked bored at this whole maudlin family drama. "Will you two make up your minds, already? I have a company to run-you know, an actual corporation-and I  _really_  don't have time for you two sniveling and weeping all over one another." A sneer in his voice. Gaze narrowing. "One of you goes with me, or I ruin you-it's  _that_ simple."

_I do not forgive. I do not forget._

* * *

 

A small family business on a quiet street in Domino City-the kind with the lower level dedicated to serving customers, with the small apartment on the second floor reserved for the family-the proprietors.

He looked through the tinted limousine window at the hand-lettered sign over the doorway and fought back a sneer at how utterly childish it looked.  _Well, they_ are  _supposed to be the best in the area…_

The Ishtar Antiquities Company…

Through his network of connections he had heard tell of their fabulous reputation in the dealing and appraising of antiquities from nearly all nations, though, as the name would indicate, specializing particularly in Egyptian objects-the family had arrived to Domino City from Cairo several years prior, if he remembered his research correctly-which he nearly always did. Since the family had opened up shop, under the aegis of the patriarch Osiris Ishtar, now deceased as of a few months or so, the small company had built a solid reputation as an honest, reliable dealership and appraisal service. Of course, with Osiris Ishtar gone, his son Marik had taken his place as the head of the business and of the family, and there hadn't seemed to be any kinks to iron out in the transitional period.

There was another brother, too, he thought-and a sister, away at school-but it was hardly of importance to him at this time.

He had come, after all, to have the famed Ishtar Antiquities Company take a look at a recent acquisition he wished to display in his office later that evening-for the upcoming soirée, or somesuch thing, that the Kaiba Corporation was hosting in its headquarters to celebrate its purchase-or rather, its buyout-of a local competitor-a small Domino company that had begun its own three-dimensional holographic technological experiments.

Seto Kaiba didn't particularly like these sorts of parties, if he were completely honest about the subject. Frilly, useless affairs where everyone seemed to drink and flirt and swirl about with no regard for propriety or common sense. And the endless nagging from his colleagues and rivals about his sex life, for Seto never brought anyone to these functions…  _rather annoying._

He personally had not embarrassed himself in such a way at one of the many, many parties he was required to attend, not only those he threw on behalf of the Kaiba Corporation, but those of business partners and other major corporations in the area. He simply put on a show-it was easy for him after so many years of learning how. Smile. Dazzle with charm. Refill the glasses. Win them over. Propose deals. Get pens in hand. Signatures. Everyone going home happy, with a beautiful woman on their arms-the entertainment for such affairs was often…  _interactive_. Creating sustaining relationships with other leaders of industry.

After all, when one ran an arms manufacturing company, it did not do to make enemies…

"Mr. Kaiba, sir, we've arrived." Roland's voice crackled through the intercom.

Seto pressed the button and responded, voice somewhat testy. "Yes, Roland, I'm quite aware. You'll be carrying in the artifact, of course."

"Of course, sir."

Then Seto was stepping out of the vehicle, squinting against the bright sunlight while Roland stood by the door, at attention, before straightening his impeccably tied blue tie, brushing a speck of dust off his dark gray wool suit, and walking up the gently sloping ramp to the door of the Ishtar Antiquities Company, where a tiny "open" sign hung in the curtained window.

He hesitated before knocking on the door-it looked rather dirty, and the blackened, doorbell was no better.  _Would proper hygiene_ really  _be too much to ask…?_

_Rap-rap-rap-_

Marik Ishtar jumped at the sound of a firm, steady knocking on the door. Flipping the magazine he was reading closed, he shoved it into a drawer of the old, slightly splintery wooden desk. "Ah-yes-one moment, please!"  _Thank the gods-a customer. Ra knows we do need the business…_ He threw his hair back into a ponytail, wiped the crumbs from the cookie he'd been eating from his stubbled chin, and straightened his wrinkly button-down shirt before shoving his glasses up his nose and walking around the desk to answer the door.

He unlocked the several locks on the door-after all, security for the objects in his care was of the utmost importance-Osiris had drilled that into his head during his training-and opened the door, fighting down a gasp at the tall, pale figure who smiled coldly and entered the shop.

Seto's eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the room; he nearly sneezed as a mote of dust crept into his nose.  _This is such a cliché…_

The interior of the Ishtar Antiquities Company looked as he might well have expected-a small wooden desk towards the back with several rulers, a tape measure, and an intensely burning lamp, rows and rows of curio cabinets lining the walls, a Persian carpet, worn and raggedy, on the floor beneath his feet, dim lighting-trying to emphasize the mystery of the place, he supposed-various large artifacts occupying each corner of the room-terracotta warriors from China, various sizes of  _ushabtiu_  from Egypt, exquisitely carved Roman and Greek white marble figures…

He turned to the smaller blond man before him. "I'm impressed." He extended his hand. "Marik Ishtar, I presume?"

Marik swallowed hard and gingerly accepted Seto's hand as if the man himself were a weapon.  _Seto Kaiba… the arms dealer? In my store? What could he want…?_

"Y-yes, I'm Marik Ishtar. And you-you're Seto Kaiba, of the Kaiba Corporation, right?"

Seto smirked and nodded curtly. The Kaiba name still had the power to awe. What good would it do if that power ceased…?

"It's an  _honor_  to have you here, Mr. Kaiba, just an  _honor_ -please, please be seated…" Marik pushed his glasses up his nose and led Seto over to his desk, where he pulled out an old faded high-backed chair out of a dim corner and pulled it in front of the desk, gesturing for Seto to sit as he walked around to take his own seat.

Seto fought back a grimace at the dusty old chair before sitting down, back perfectly straight, crossing his legs, and fixing his intent gaze on Marik. "Thank you, Mr. Ishtar. I assume you're the one I want to see-I've heard  _excellent_  things about your little company…" Voice even. Polite. Almost friendly, even. Best to set the evidently nervous man at ease.

Marik wiped his sweaty palms on his khakis and fiddled with the lamp light. "Ah-ah, thank you-thank you so much, sir, though, of course, that was my father's doing-most of it, anyway…" He glanced up at the portrait of Osiris hanging above one of the cabinets chock-filled with various old coins and trinkets and swallowed hard.  _Calm down, Marik. You can do this…_

Seto followed Marik's gaze. "Yes-quite a pity. But I'm sure you can be of some assistance to me, Mr. Ishtar."

Marik snapped his head back and smiled broadly, if somewhat shakily. "Of course, Mr. Kaiba-please, how can the Ishtar Antiquities Company be of service to you this fine day?"  _Just like father taught me. The spiel. The smile. The lines. I can do this-_

_-Seto Kaiba, of all people-_

Seto turned his body in the chair and snapped his fingers. "Roland, please…"

Through the slightly opened door entered a bulkier man-that is, bulkier than the slender Seto and the small-framed Marik- with dark hair and darker sunglasses, carrying an intricately carved wooden box. He kicked the door shut behind him, causing Marik to flinch as a shudder rattled through the room, and approached the desk silently.

"The artifacts, Mr. Kaiba." And Roland proffered the box.

"You can put it on the desk, Roland," Seto replied lazily, sounding for all the world like an entitled prince, voice weary from years of giving orders. As Roland complied, he continued, "you can go wait by the car."

"Yes, sir." And with that, the solid, mysterious-looking man walked over to the door and exited the shop, as suddenly as he had entered.

Marik's eyes were enormous. "Is that-"

"My driver, yes." Seto rolled his eyes and gestured towards the box. "Would you?"

"Ah-of course, Mr. Kaiba." Marik opened one of the drawers of the desk and withdrew a fresh pair of latex gloves, which he slicked onto his hands before pulling the box closer towards him. "This is a beautiful box, Mr. Kaiba-I'd have to say maybe Japanese, but I can't give you a date  _quite yet…_ "

Seto stifled a laugh. "What I'm asking about is  _inside_ the box, Mr. Ishtar."

A bead of sweat clotted at the back of Marik's neck. "Oh-of course-my apologies, Mr. Kaiba…" He pushed his glasses up his nose and gently lifted the lid on the box, revealing a small, intricately carved ivory comb, decorated with rows upon rows of tiny, textured animals, nestled in burgundy velvet.

"Oh gods-this is  _lovely_ ," breathed Marik, heart pounding in his chest as he carefully lifted the comb into his gloved hands and brought it under the light, examining the object, turning it over carefully in his hand. "Where did you come across this, if I might ask?"

Seto bristled slightly. "I don't think that's any of your business, Mr. Ishtar…" After all, if he happened to have helped to fund an archeological dig that was  _perhaps_  not exactly approved by the Egyptian government, per se-save, of course, of the greased pockets provided by the potential promise of business-Marik had no need to know about this particular artifact's origins…

Marik smiled uneasily. "Of course-my apologies, Mr. Kaiba…"  _Don't be an idiot and lose this man's business, Marik-!_  He placed the comb back into its box and opened another desk drawer, withdrawing a soft cloth, which he laid upon the surface of the desk. Reaching once more for the comb, he laid the ivory on the cloth, then fumbled around in the same drawer for his magnifying glass.

Seto watched Marik work, eyes bright and glittering in the harsh yellow lamplight.  _The process of an expert, I see…_

"Hmm. Well, Mr. Kaiba, I'd have to say, based on the carvings and the style, that this piece is from Egypt-my homeland, by the way-and likely dates from the Predynastic period…" Through the magnifying glass, Marik observed that the animals seemed to include elephants, hyenas, snakes, giraffes, all in neat rows, carved with a tender, sure hand.

"Ah. Excellent. So you believe it's genuine, then?"  _Getting to the real question…_

Marik's brow furrowed; he chewed on his lower lip as he set the piece down. "I do. Based on the types of animals portrayed-look, here's an elephant-here's a hyena…" Seto leaned forward with interest as Marik pointed out the various creatures formed in the creamy off-white material.

Seto smirked and leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  _Excellent. I'll have something to show to that bastard Hawkins tonight at the party… that old fogey, thinking he can one-up me again…_

Arthur Hawkins, that older snob of a CEO of the company that manufactured a certain kind of microchip that competed with KaibaCorp's own such technology, always seemed to manage to one-up Seto in this sort of thing. If Seto was serving ten-thousand-dollar champagne, Hawkins would serve fifteen-thousand-dollar champagne-and would make sure everyone knew it. Now, with this particular prize-a real, ancient Egyptian artifact-the creaky old fossil would just  _die_  with envy, unable to beat Seto in terms of a rarer, more desirable display.

Marik studied the piece further, anxiety creeping into his voice, his heart rate starting to pick up. "I mean-I believe so, Mr. Kaiba-but I'd like to have some time to further examine the piece, maybe telephone some dealers back home in Egypt-if you don't mind-"  _After all, while Father would have known instantly… I'm not just one hundred percent sure of this one…_

Seto's eyes turned cold, the light blue of his eyes turning to ice as his delicate mouth twisted in a scowl. "That's… not going to work for me, Mr. Ishtar. I intend to display this piece in my office, starting this evening." He stood up and placed his hands on either side of the desk, leaning in close towards Marik and narrowing his eyes. "So if you're  _not sure_ , then I'm taking my piece and seeking help elsewhere, and I surely will not be paying you for your  _useless opinion…_ "

Marik's breath caught on itself-Seto Kaiba  _really_ could be frightening when he set out to be-and swallowed hard. "I-I believe it's genuine, Mr. Kaiba; I really do-"  _Gods forgive me if I'm wrong… but we really_ do  _need the money…_

Seto's eyes scanned over the younger man's face, searching through the lines and crevices where lies could be hiding.  _Hm._

 _Well, he does believe it's genuine…_   _and he is the expert, after all…_

He straightened up and smoothed his hands along his suit jacket, a tiny smile of triumph curling onto his lips.  _That asshole Hawkins will keel over with jealousy…_ "Excellent, Mr. Ishtar. Now, if you'll please place it back in the box, I'll be on my way."

Marik did as Seto requested, then pulled the gloves off of his hands and tossed them in the wastebasket by his feet. "I'm glad I could be of help, Mr. Kaiba…" He began to twiddle his thumbs as he wondered, sweat now dripping down his back in several rivulets, how exactly to bring up the price…

Seto snapped his fingers for Roland, who somehow managed to hear his employer through the closed door; Marik winced in the bright light emitting through the crack created when Roland opened the door, walked over, and carefully lifted the box off of Marik's desk as Seto stood up, a smirk curling on his patrician features as Marik gazed up at him, trying not to look as nervous as he felt.

"Ah. Of course, Mr. Ishtar-I can't leave without paying for your time. How much do I owe you?" He reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a sleek, elegantly-stitched black wallet-new, leather, from the smell of it-and opened up the billfold.

Marik's mouth went dry. "Fifty dollars, Mr. Kaiba-"  _After all, Father charged one hundred-twenty-five per hour… and Mr. Kaiba was only here for maybe fifteen, twenty minutes? … Should I be rounding up?_

Seto withdrew a crisp hundred-dollar bill and tossed it onto Marik's desk as Marik nearly hiccuped in surprise. "Keep the change, Mr. Ishtar." Replacing the wallet smoothly, he bowed his head towards the younger man, who responded with the same gesture. "Thank you for your service, Mr. Ishtar. You've proven quite helpful to me…"  _Ha. I can't wait to see the look on Hawkins' face…_

Marik grinned broadly, pawing at the brand-new money on his desk, with its strange, papery scent, trying to disregard the fact that his shirt back was near-completely soaked. "No, Mr. Kaiba, thank you!" He let go of the bill and walked around the desk, waving through the open door as Seto Kaiba dipped inside the backseat of the stretch limousine.

As the car pulled away, Marik slowly shut the door to the Ishtar Antiquities Company and sagged against the door, feeling his pulse becoming erratic.

_By the gods, I do hope I was right…_

* * *

 

Midnight draped itself over Domino City like a velvet curtain, punctuated throughout by the gleaming silvery spires of skyscrapers. Chief among them was the KaibaCorp headquarters, the tallest tower of them all, the top five floors of which were currently bustling with finely dressed partygoers mingling in dim, seductive lighting-where Seto Kaiba's party was presently occurring. Champagne, wine, liquor all flowed freely from bottles older than than Domino City itself. Hors d'oeuvres were passed around on trays by attractive waitresses, who gave the various industry leaders in attendance increasingly inviting looks as the night went on. Couches. Chairs. Low tables. Whispers. Laughs. People in corners-

And in the center of it all, surrounded by the crème-de-la-crème of the Domino business community-CEOs, presidents, board members- was Seto Kaiba. Looking sharp in a black tuxedo, silk bowtie, embossed belt and cufflinks, face plastered in a suitably warm smile, blue eyes twinkling with what appeared to be good humor-Seto Kaiba was in top form this evening as the host of the party. As a waitress brought another round of drinks for the men standing in the small circle-while Seto was, of course, still nursing his first glass of scotch-the better to be on top of things-he lifted his glass and cleared his throat.

"A toast, gentlemen, if you will. To the promise of a new partnership between KaibaCorp and HoloWorks!" He fought a scoff from twisting up his throat at the fairly ridiculous name of the company his own had utterly conquered through purchase as the rest of the men lifted their glasses and drank.

Seto took a small sip and licked the remainder of of the rich liquor off his lips before clearing his throat once more. "Now, my friends, shall we retire to my private office? I'm sure there will be plenty of interesting things for you to do up there…" Like scantily clad women. Lingering in the shadows. Aiming to be taken home for the night by a rich man. Often succeeding.

Though rarely with Seto himself.

And, of course, the display case with his artifact.

As the men murmured their assent, the idea ringing true in their drink-addled brains, they followed Seto to the elevators, where Seto punched in the private code to access his office floor.

Then the elevator carried them several floors up in a smooth  _whoosh_  as Arthur Hawkins, mustachioed, fair-haired, turned to Seto curiously. "What do you have for us up here,  _old friend?_ " He had been, indeed, an old friend of Seto's father's, back when Gozaburo Kaiba ran KaibaCorp, yet once Seto had taken over at a young age, he hadn't exactly managed to find the same respect for Hawkins that his father had- thus the endearment was just  _barely_  sarcastic enough for Seto to take his meaning. Thus, their endless game of one-upmanship: Hawkins participating because he couldn't stand the little wunderkind and his arrogance; Seto because he despised losing in any form.

Seto smirked and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Well, Hawkins,  _old chum_ , I think you'll yourself  _quite_  amazed…"  _An object such as this-he'll be shocked! Envious as hell._

The doors opened and they were greeted by a chorus of female giggles. Several of the more wayward men in their pack quickly peeled off and were greeted by kisses; soon only Seto, Hawkins, and a few other men remained as Seto led them to his office.

As they entered the appealing modern space-all sleek lines, low couches and large glass windows behind his desk-giving a breathtaking view of the city, all laid out before them like the parts of a glittering circuit board-Seto beckoned to Hawkins to follow him, as he flicked on a few low lights in one corner of the spacious room, and sighed to himself, anticipating the strained, jealous reaction of his colleague, as he took in that fine ivory comb, lying in the open wooden box on its bed of velvet.

"I've made a recent acquisition, Hawkins,  _old friend_ -one I think you'll appreciate…" Seto stood before the beautiful object as the older man approached.

"What is it  _this_  time,  _old chum_ -another  _ghastly_  piece by that Murakami fellow? How  _nouveau_   _riche_  of you,  _my boy_ …" Even he stopped in his tracks, breath taken away at the sight of the artifact lying before them, bathed in soft light.

Seto watched, eyes narrowing, grin growing wider and wider across his face as Hawkins, looking rather dumbstruck, hand fumbling slightly, pulled a monocle from his breast pocket- "such a lovely piece-may I?"-and leaned forward to give the comb further examination.

"Antiquity is an interest of yours,  _friend_?" Seto asked, restraining himself from crowing in triumph as Hawkins' forehead creased, eyes scrabbling over the piece wildly, looking, perhaps, to find some fault in it…

"Well, Seto,  _my boy_ , I did dabble in collecting in the early days of my company-before my tastes expanded to more modern works of art, that is…" Hawkins' voice was slightly shaky, as if he were shocked,  _shocked_  that his rival had managed to acquire something of such rarity, of such quality- "I do think I could consider myself a minor expert on such things, so to speak…"

Seto crossed his arms in front of his chest almost proudly. "Then you'll know, of course, that I had this piece appraised by none other than the Ishtar Antiquities Company-they verified its veracity."  _See how he likes that, the bastard…_

Hawkins turned his head to look at him curiously. "Ishtar… I heard the old man was dead, no?"

"Yes, but his son is just as good as he is. Spitting image of the man, as well…"

_Any time now- any time for him to shake my hand- let me see the defeat in his eyes…_

Hawkins' voice suddenly took on a trace of humor-sending an unwanted shiver down Seto's spine. "Are you sure about that assertion,  _old chum_?" Beneath the fair mustache, a tiny grin spreading.

_Something's wrong. Why is he smiling like that- could it be-_

"Are you  _doubting_  that this piece is genuine?" He fought to keep his voice steady. Disinterested. Normal. Arrogant. As he would-as if the older man's demeanor wasn't threatening to shake his confidence…

Hawkins swallowed his grin and straightened up, replacing the monocle and looking at Seto with the veneer of pity. "Well,  _old friend_ , it seems you've been taken for a ride there. That piece is a fake-a good one, top-of-the-line ivory and everything, but clearly a fake."  _Upstart…_

Seto's eyes widened in barely suppressed horror, color rising to his cheeks.  _How dare he…_ "No, no-it's been verified as Egyptian, predynastic period by Ishtar's son, himself-"

Hawkins walked over to Seto and patted him on the shoulder in a condescending, almost fatherly manner, his eyes wide and full of shallow kindness. Seto nearly hissed at the older man's rude gesture.  _How dare he touch me-_

He backed away from Hawkins and swallowed hard. "What makes you so certain that it's a fake,  _my friend_?"

"Why, because the animals are  _wrong_. There were no tigers in ancient Egypt-I assure you  _that_  much is true." Hawkins crooked his index finger; Seto narrowed his eyes, the blue slits unforgiving as the men leaned into the piece, Hawkins lifting his monocle for Seto's benefit.

Seto squinted through the round piece of glass, holding his breath-and his heart sank as he realized that the creature that Marik Ishtar had deemed a hyena did indeed resemble a tiger.

A cold fury ignited in his veins as he stood up, smoothing the front of his tuxedo jacket.  _Ishtar-_ "I see," he replied stiffly, fixing Hawkins with the cruelest gaze he could manage, bending his mouth into something approximating a smile as the older man simply looked back at him with an unsavory merriment in his eyes. "Well, I must thank you,  _old chum_ , for looking out for me- _clearly_ I put my trust in the wrong hands…"

"Yes-glad I could help you,  _old friend_ -pity about the Ishtars, though- the old man never would have made such a mistake…"

* * *

 

Seto uncrossed and recrossed his legs, leaning back against the plush leather of the limousine backseat. Seething. Teeth sharp. Ready to cut for blood-

_That idiot. Marik Ishtar-_

_That was utterly humiliating-how can I expect to face that old sack of bones again with a straight face? Humiliating. Completely disgusting._

The party had ended sometime around three o'clock in the morning. However, instead of making his excuses and returning to the Manor and attempting to get some sleep-in a near daze of rage and fury, he'd summoned Roland and ordered his driver to take him back to the Ishtar Antiquities Company-that tiny, woebegone shop they'd visited only that afternoon.

_I've never been so insulted in my life._

_Well-_

_I'll make sure he pays._

He figured leaking the story to the press and ruining the Ishtar Antiquities Company-putting that idiotic, vile, waste-of-space family out of business-was a good place to start.

But no-

That wasn't enough.

Not nearly.

He needed it to hurt more.

_More._

_Personally._

After all, his grievance against Marik Ishtar was personal, was it not? As was his rivalry with Hawkins, who seemed to have completely captured the upper hand in their constant game of challenges?

Hawkins had won the battle.

Seto would ensure that he and he alone would win the war.

He looked out the window at the lamplit streets as Roland drove him smoothly through town, hands quaking by his sides; he balled them into fists and shoved them in his lap, chewing furiously on his lower lip as the car pulled up before the small building containing the shop and the residential apartment above it.

Before Roland could get the door for him Seto had thrown it open and practically leapt out of the vehicle, gnashing his teeth as pure liquid fire roared through him; heart pounding in his ears, blood boiling under the cool night air. Endlessly repeating in his mind, as if it were the only mantra to keep him sane:

_I will make them pay._

_And I know exactly how-_

He squinted his eyes in the dark and walked around to the side of the building, where he found a set of wooden stairs, with a rusty metal handrail, leading up to a door.  _This must be their apartment…_ Shuddering at the thought of the squalor these Ishtar fools must surely have inhabited, he ascended the staircase, not deigning to touch the handrail, and knocked.

 _Rap-rap-rap_ -

In the plain but cozy living room of the apartment, Marik was bringing his older sister Ishizu- home from graduate school for the semester-she'd decided to go the museum route and was studying to be a curator-her dinner on a tray. A lump of vegetables sat beside what appeared to be a sticky clump of rice-despite all of Marik's charm and talents in other areas, Ishizu noted with a small smile, cooking was not among his specialties…

"And when does Odion get back, Marik?" Their other brother was much more proficient at this sort of thing…

Marik plopped into his chair by the fireplace and pushed his glasses up his nose. "I think in about a week… sorry about the food, Sister-all I had were leftovers…"

Ishizu grinned at him before picking up her chopsticks.  _Damn. He called me out!_ "Not a problem, Brother-I assure you, I won't starve regardless of what you manage to butcher…" She stuck her tongue out at Marik-

They both jumped in their seats as the door rattled with a knock, disrupting their conversation.

Ishizu gazed up at Marik with inquisitive eyes. "Are we expecting any guests, Marik?" She set down her tray and walked over to one of the windows, peering out at the staircase to their door as she pushed the thin, frayed curtain aside.

There was a man there, in the dark-tall, in a suit-eyes searing-

_Rap-rap-rap-_

"Who is it, Ishizu?" Marik rose from his chair and walked over to her.

Ishizu turned to him, eyes large and confused. "There's-there's a man out there, Brother-"

Marik swallowed hard and pulled open the door-

The gleaming, freezing-cold fury of Seto Kaiba, barely masking his brewing rage and hatred for him-standing on his doorstep-

Marik's heart dropped into his stomach. "Mr. Kai-Kaiba, what brings you to our home-"

He was cut off, rudely, by Seto as the taller man pushed past him, nearly knocking him into the wall, and strode into the center of their living room, critically taking in the details of their home with a casual sweep of his eyes.  _Pathetic. These idiots are pathetic…_

"You have  _utterly_   _embarrassed_  me tonight, Ishtar." His voice was quiet. Almost mellow.

Wholly menacing.

Impossibly frightening.

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba?" Marik's voice was almost a petrified squeak as he stared at the floor by his bare feet, praying to someone listening-anyone-to be swallowed up whole. Saved.

Seto licked his lips, willing his voice to continue being soft. In that vein. Feeding off their fear.

"You and that-that counterfeit artifact... Your mistake in its identification  _will cost you dearly,_ Ishtar."  _I will make you pay-make all of you idiots in this family pay-_

Marik almost fainted as he felt his heartbeat stutter wildly.  _Counterfeit...? How...?_

_Could I have been wrong-?_

_Oh gods..._

His face paled as his mouth filled with bitterness-with fear-what could Seto Kaiba, with all his vast wealth and resources, do to him-

To their family-?

Seto smirked, a hint of velvet creeping into his voice. "I  _was_ going to report you to the papers-ruin the goodwill your father engendered-the goodwill your pathetic company is now _squandering-_ " His gaze bored into the space above Marik's eyes-calm, detached, as if the threat he'd just uttered had been nothing more an innocuous statement of fact.

Marik gulped loudly, envisioning the shame he would feel-feeling it wash over him already, engulfing him-drowning him from below-

Ishizu stared up at the taller man, taking in his fine tuxedo, his cruel gaze-ruthless. Merciless in its intentions.

And he intended to hurt.

Hurt her brother...

Hurt her  _family..._

A quiet rage curdled in her veins.

"However-" Seto's tone changed. Flattened. More banal-yet somehow more sinister. The monster sheathing its claws, ready to strike out at any moment he sensed things weren't going his way-

_However...?_

"I won't go public-but I'm taking you as a hostage, Ishtar."  _See how you like being punished-humiliated-made to suffer-_

The word sparked through the air, burning Ishizu and Marik as it touched them. Sliding into their ears. Into understanding.

_Hostage…_

" _No_ -" Ishizu found her voice, strangled and half-silent as it was, rippling with fear, with hurt, with sheer outrage-

_I won't let him touch my brother-not my little brother-_

_I know what I need to do-_

* * *

 

"One of you goes with me, or I ruin you-it's  _that_ simple."

Ishizu's heart pounded in her chest, her ears; she was sure the whole room could hear its butterflying pace. Before Marik could protest further, she slipped her hands from his and strode over to stand before Kaiba, trying to hide the trembling of her hands by placing them demurely behind her back.

She saw nothing in his eyes.  _Nothing. Soulless. Empty. Frost-_

It almost frightened her more than did her proposition.

"Sister-" Marik wiped his nose with the back of his hand and tried to hide the beginnings of weeping-thick tears coating his words, fogging up his glasses, as he slumped into a chair, the fire in the fireplace flickering and nearly licking the backs of his legs. " _Please, please don't do this-_ "

Ishizu bit the inside of her cheek as Seto sighed dramatically, pretending to be utterly put-upon. "Well?" he drawled, pretending to glance at his watch-simple but expensive. "I don't have all day,  _Ishtar…_ " He directed his gaze through her, towards her brother, whose entire body had been given over to anguish, blood roiling in his veins, feeling completely and pathetically ill at the prospect of this-this  _horrible man_ -

Taking his innocent sister-

_I'm such a coward-_

"I said I would go with you," Ishizu replied firmly, trying to keep a hair-thin quaver out of her voice.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "And please, do me the honor of looking at me when I address you."  _It's the least he could do-show some proper courtesy…_

Seto flicked his eyes back to her-back to this rather lovely woman standing before him-and almost laughed, stifling the sound of good humor as it bubbled up his throat. "Feisty. I don't mind that."  _This could work out rather nicely for me-_

Ishizu had to fight from rolling her eyes as he took in their living room once more in one calculating sweep of his eyes, same as he had done upon entry into their home-the pale yellow walls, low-hanging ceiling, small television, fireplace, worn couches-no doubt judging them further for their lack of opulent wealth-the thing Seto Kaiba was so used to. His lip curling, nose twitching as if he had caught a whiff of a foul scent.

It nearly infuriated her.

His lips curled into a cold smile as he dropped his eyes back to her, taking each and every detail of her face into his mind. Those large eyes. Thick lashes. Full lips. Her entire form shaking nervously, like a deer caught in unforgiving headlights. "Well, well, then, Miss Ishtar. I accept your offer. Now, if you'll come with me-the car is waiting outside…" He extended an elegant hand to her.  _Shake on it. Seal the deal._

_This is, after all, a business transaction._

Ishizu paused for a moment, eyes widening as she considered him-his pale face, heartless eyes, fine black tuxedo that likely cost as much as her family's yearly income-and then studied his hand, with its manicured nails and smooth skin, and took it in her own, shaking softly at first, then with more conviction.

He'd clearly never worked a day in his life-his palm was impossibly silky against her own callused one.

Ishizu dropped his hand as soon as it was polite and clasped her own together once more. "May I go to my room to retrieve some personal effects, Mr. Kaiba?"  _Surely he cannot deny me this-_

"No." He looked down his nose at her, watching intently as her eyes dulled for a moment. "Everything you require will be provided for you. Now, you may say goodbye to your brother-quickly-and then, we  _really_  must be going-" his voice, trailing off, already bored with this whole drawn-out situation once more.  _I clearly don't have time for this nonsense-hurry up, already…_

Ishizu bit back a heated remark, cheeks flushing, swallowing shock at his unfathomably hard-hearted behavior, though, of course, what could she have expected at this point?

As Seto watched keenly, eyes revealing nothing, as Ishizu walked over to where Marik sat, hunched over, hot tears streaming down his face, and threw her arms around him, crouching low to press a kiss to his cheek. "Marik-I love you so much, all right-and I'll be fine-he won't hurt me-"

"How can you be sure?" Marik wailed quietly, dreading nothing more than the thought of his big sister-trapped, held captive by this horrible megalomaniac-

Ishizu swallowed hard, keeping her voice a low whisper. "If he does, Marik-then you go to the press. The papers. Tell them everything. All right?"

Marik sniffed. "N-not good enough-" He lifted his head balefully, shooting Seto a glare filled with as much raw hatred as he could muster. "You-Kaiba. You'd better  _promise_  that you won't hurt my sister-you-you-"

_Monster._

At this, Seto bit back an angry retort. Slightly taken aback by the word Marik had left unsaid.  _I-I'm not a-I would never-that idiot-_

He released a sigh, pretending that Marik's remark hadn't managed to strike him so. "You have my word. I won't touch her."

_Well, it's true..._

Ishizu kissed Marik's damp cheeks one last time before rising, smoothing out her long skirt, and turning towards Seto. Eyes grave but calm. Breathing even. Revealing nothing. Not to him. Not to her brother.

"Well, you said you were in a hurry, Mr. Kaiba."

* * *

 

The limousine zooming through the city streets, floodlights drowning all the buildings and roads in a painful yellow glow-

Seto looked over at Ishizu, whose hands were folded in her lap, legs demurely crossed at the ankles. He smiled a tiny, cold smile to himself.

_Well-this went better than I intended-_

Ishizu, feeling his insistent gaze on her, kept her head turned away from him, looking out of the window, seeing his hands and lower body in the reflection in the tinted glass.

As the car passed into a tunnel, throwing the backseat into deep, impenetrable darkness, Ishizu allowed herself a small, delicate upturn of the lips as well.

_I'll be your hostage, Seto Kaiba-_

_I'll play your little game._

_But for what you threatened to do to my family-to my brother-_

_I'm going to kill you._

_I will._


	2. Black Rose

Ishizu Ishtar normally dreamt at night. Ever since she could remember, as she'd lain in her bed, eyes pressed closed together with all the weight of slumber, she'd gone on fantastical, improbable journeys-flown with or without wings, leapt among the stars-and, occasionally, those more sinister dreams that shocked her awake, shaking with a quiet fright. Even if she tended to forget each night's dream as the day went on, she awoke nearly each and every morning with the stirring of some vivid dream trailing through her mind.

The first night she spent at Kaiba Manor, Ishizu Ishtar didn't dream.

After being swept away by Seto Kaiba in his limousine-that ostentatious shark of a vehicle-she'd been led-not only by Kaiba himself, but accompanied by two beefy-looking security guards (she supposed)-through the dimly lit mansion, through corridors and up and down various staircases until a door had been opened before her. With a sudden cry she'd found herself being pushed across the threshold-quite rudely, she'd thought angrily-door slamming behind her. The finite click of a lock turning.

She'd truly become captive.

_Hostage-_

The idea of it hadn't really dawned on her in full until she'd felt the endlessly compressing darkness of the room threaten to engulf her completely.

She'd fumbled around for a few moments, smoothing her hands over the wall until she found a light switch and flicked it on. Squinting her eyes against the bright yellow ceiling light that flooded through the room, Ishizu had taken stock of her surroundings, heart rate eventually calming as she realized that she hadn't exactly been cast into a dungeon.

After all, even for Seto Kaiba, that would have been  _slightly_  overdramatic…

The room was spartan. Simple. Plush white carpeting on the floor. Expensive. A large bed with a deep blue coverlet in one corner of the room. Opposite, a pair of drawn curtains before what seemed to be a full-length window. A high, vaulted ceiling-the light emitted from a rather elegant modern chandelier. White curved moldings along every wall-to-ceiling joint. A finely carved wooden chest of drawers against another wall. A low wooden table slightly off-center with two matching chairs placed on either side.

She'd walked into the middle of the room and slipped off her shoes before another door, this one in the corner, nearly hidden by the dresser, and padded over to it, trying to keep her breath even. Her mind had felt murky then, limbs breaking out in pins and needles with surprise as she'd pushed the door open and caught a glimpse of a shiny porcelain tub, its clawed feet rendered down to the minutest detail-a toilet-a sink-

Ishizu had swallowed hard as she'd pulled the door closed and walked slowly back into the middle of the room.  _So I won't even be able to get out to use the bathroom-_

_I guess it's naive of me to assume he's never had a hostage before-_

Well, it certainly wasn't as awful as she'd expected-being spirited away from her home in the night, forbidden from taking any personal possessions-much larger than her room in the Ishtar apartment-

-but sterile. Utterly so.

A cell.

A prison.

She'd shuddered then, her palms breaking out into a sweat that she'd wiped self-consciously on her skirt before walking over to the first wall and tapping the light switch, throwing the room into stifling, unknowable darkness once more.

As she'd lain in bed, she'd seethed. Raged. Silently. Fought the urge to cry.

_I will not-must not-_

The only thing keeping her from screaming out-

Her promise to herself, congealing the instant she'd volunteered to take Marik's place as Kaiba's prisoner. Setting like iron in her veins as she'd sat in the backseat of the car, looking for all the world like a naive, nervous, fragile woman.

It roared within her. Soldering itself to her heart.

_You threatened my family, Seto Kaiba._

_I don't care who you are-what power you may have-_

_Any man can be conquered._

_I will conquer you._

_I will destroy your company._

_And then I will slit your throat._

Ishizu opened her eyes. Realized with a shiver that she must have slept-for hours or for a day, she couldn't be certain. She'd fallen asleep, curled up on top of the coverlet-that was why she suddenly felt cold, skin rippling in gooseflesh beneath her dress.

And unnerved by the lack of dreams. The emptiness of her slumber. How it had passed through her, cleanly and neatly like a sharp blade. No traces or ghosts of adventures undertaken lingering within her bones.

It seemed as though not even her mind would be granted escape, no matter how temporary-

She yawned and stretched briefly, sitting up as her mouth tasted bitter. Stomach empty. Hollow. Issuing a contrarian growl as she rolled her eyes, willing the noise to stop.

The sound of clicking-coming from the outside of the door. Then a knock, clear and firm:

 _Rap-rap-rap_ -

The sound echoing throughout the cavernous dim room. Still shrouded in a gray-blue.

Ignoring the knocking, she rose from the bed and walked over to the window, untying the slips of rope and pulling the curtains apart, allowing sunlight to flood into the room from floor to ceiling. Imbuing the room in warmth. Through the window she saw an endless lawn, a fresh green carpet dotted with neatly trimmed hedges, then at the far edge, a thick cluster of trees.

She almost found herself smiling at this simple thing. Forgetting herself for a moment.

Then-

_Rap-rap-rap-_

More rapidly. Impatient.

She untied her sleep-bedraggled plait and ran a hand through her hair as she approached the tall wooden door.

_If it's not a guard, perhaps I can slip past-_

The thought bloomed and wilted as she opened the door to find Seto Kaiba. Tall, slender. Finely combed brown hair through which impenetrable blue eyes peered. Looking down his nose at her. Holding a tray containing a plate of something bready-looking, a silver pitcher, a small china pot, two cups…

_Well, at least he brought breakfast…_

A tiny smirk curling on his lips as he took her in.  _Evidently she just woke up-what ridiculous bedhead-_  He moved his gaze along her form, noting that she hadn't changed out of that shapeless sack he supposed she called a dress.  _I should probably get her some nightgowns…_

They stood there in silence for a moment, Ishizu looking up at Seto and trying to stop herself from wrinkling her nose in disgust at the man, Seto looking back down at her and trying to stop his eyes from fixating on her in a way that could be construed as impolite.

_How to speak… who should I be now…?_

She spoke first. A hint of wryness in her tone. Innocently asked. "I'm assuming you do this kind of thing often, Mr. Kaiba?"

Seto's eyes widened, surprised at her words. "I-I'm sorry?"

Ishizu cocked her head to the side, modulating her tone. Soft. Slight humor.  _Catch him off guard._ "Take hostages, I mean. After all, you had this room all nice and ready for me… do your servants know in advance to prepare the room in case you're feeling particularly capricious on any given day?"

Seto chewed on the inside of his cheek, fighting the urge to snap at her.  _This woman thinks I do this on a regular basis-what kind of soulless-_

So early in the morning and already his patience was being tried… by this woman-

"May I?" He lifted the tray and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Ishizu stepped aside and allowed Seto to cross the threshold, catching a glimpse of one of the large men from the prior night, hands folded before him, at attention in case trouble should arise.  _Of course… of course he would have a guard…_

Seto smoothly placed the tray on the table and took a seat as Ishizu closed the door. "If you'll join me, Miss Ishtar…?" He reached for one of the teacups on the tray and filled it with coffee from the pitcher. Black. Smooth. Rich. Bitter.

Ishizu swallowed a rude series of remarks involving telling him to get the  _hell_  out of her room before allowing her eyes to widen, her posture to shrink slightly, demeanor to shift into something more girlish and demure.  _Throw him off-_

"Ah-of course, Mr. Kaiba-but don't you have somewhere to be-you know, work and all…?"

_Would twirling my hair around my finger be too much?_

Seto sipped at the coffee. "What time to do you think it is, Miss Ishtar…?"

 _You didn't exactly give me a clock, you cretin._  "Um-well, the sun's out, so-maybe ten in the morning?" She walked over to the table and took a seat, crossing her ankles and reaching for a slice of toast from the tray.

Seto glanced at his watch. "It's around seven-I'm usually at the office at this time, but I figured I'd at least be a gracious host and bring you some breakfast-I  _do_  hope you don't mind a Western-style breakfast, I'm quite fond of it myself-and, of course, let you know how things are going to be around here."

Ishizu bit off the corner of the toast and nodded. "Hm. That's early-and if I hadn't been awake?"

"I'd have woken you up." Seto's voice was firm as he leaned down towards the table. "Coffee?"

Ishizu nodded; Seto poured some into the other teacup and handed it to her as she finished her toast. "Thank you, Mr. Kaiba."

Seto frowned briefly as she took a sip. "You can call me Seto, Miss Ishtar."  _Or is that too familiar?_

Ishizu nodded again, placing her cup back onto the tray and reaching for another slice of toast, this time opening up the tiny pot and, upon discovering the ruby-red jam inside, lifted a small butter knife beside the pot, spread the jam on the toast and sat back up, flicking her eyes back to his face.

She took a bite of the toast, swallowed, and spoke quietly. Lacing a hint of awkwardness into her voice. "So-well, I've-I've never been a hostage before…"

_Hostage-_

The word suddenly sounded so cruel in the light of day, rolling softly, fragile, off her tongue in that way-almost patently ridiculous-theatrical, even…

Seto took another sip of coffee. "Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not exactly an expert on this sort of thing, either."  _What kind of person truly_ is  _an expert in such things…?_

Ishizu's eyes narrowed; before she could stop herself she quipped sourly under her breath, "well, you could have fooled me…"

Seto started, not quite sure what he'd heard.  _Was that-_  "Excuse me?"

 _Blast._  "I'm sorry…?"  _Calm. Sweet. Cheeky, even._

_Play it so…_

He cleared his throat, sure and continued. "Well, while you were asleep last night I was thinking of the terms of your-your stay here, Miss Ishtar…"

_-If that's what he's calling it, the prick-_

"And, well, it's quite fortuitous for me that you chose to come instead of your brother. You see…" and he shifted somewhat uncomfortably-Ishizu bit her lip to stop a brief smile at his clear discomfort- "I have a bit of... well-you could say- a public image problem. You see- I'm a wealthy, reasonably attractive man in my late twenties, and I have been-quite annoyingly and rather inappropriately, mind you-pestered by various colleagues as to why-ah-ahem-why I'm single."

Understanding gripped Ishizu as she struggled to keep her voice under control. "Seto-you cannot possibly mean-"  _This strange, sick man-_

Seto swallowed loudly, ducking his head in slight embarrassment as he continued. "Well-yes. And having you-I mean, you're an attractive woman, I'm not going to lie about that, Miss Ishtar-"

His tone steadied, eyes boring into hers.

"While you are staying here with me, you will pretend to be my girlfriend for all public intents and purposes. For the media. For the paparazzi and such. You will accompany me on various dinner outings and to parties as my date, and we will be photographed together."

Ishizu found herself tensing, hand gripping subtly but tightly at her skirt in her lap. "I see..."

"And after each outing you will be returned to this room. There will be nothing of that nature between us privately. I promise you that."

Ishizu resisted glowering at him. "And I assume you're going to tell me that Marik would have served a similar purpose had I not taken his place?"

Seto's face twitched-almost a smile- _well, now that you mention it-_  "I never said that, Miss Ishtar-though, of course, you being a woman makes the whole affair considerably less worthy of being tabloid fodder-"

He shifted in his seat and crossed his legs, draining the teacup of coffee. "Now-as for the rules of your stay here-"

Ishizu pressed her lips together and waited.

"Until I know that you won't be any trouble, you will not be allowed to leave this room except for when I have an evening work function and require your attendance. Meals will be provided for you at regular intervals. You will have television; there's a flat-screen that folds out from inside the wall by the door. I'll expect you to be able to make small talk about the news and whatnot with my colleagues and clients, if necessary. I take it you've found the en-suite bathroom."

She nodded, trying to keep calm-from rising in a rage and striking him-lunging for his neck-

"If I decide that you've earned the privilege, you will be allowed to move about the house and the ground-accompanied, of course-and you will have access to my library. Additionally, at that time, I will allow you to use the phone to get in touch with your family. The line will be monitored-in fact, all the lines in this house are monitored, save for the one in my private study, where you are  _certainly_ not allowed."  _As if she would get past the security in any case..._

Ishizu's cheeks heated. "You mean you'll let me speak to my brothers?"  _Monitored line, but still-_

"Of course. I'm not a monster, Miss Ishtar."

 _Your actions would indicate otherwise._ "Ah-well, in any case-thank you. I hope to prove that I won't be a problem for you soon-" Layering a thin quavery strand of supplication into her voice.

Seto leaned down to refill his coffee cup. "You will be clothed, fed, and cared for in any medical way that ends up being necessary. You've heard the terms of your stay; now, do you have any questions, Miss Ishtar?"

"How long will I be here, Seto?" She gazed up at him, eyes slightly pleading, framed by thick lashes.  _Tell me, you asshole-_

Seto's face darkened. Voice slightly rough at the edges.

"Until I determine that your foolish family has suffered enough."

The fury-the humiliation he'd faced-all because of this woman's idiot brother-

Ishizu nodded, lowering her eyes to her lap. "I see."

_I will kill him. By all the gods-I will make him suffer, and then I will kill him._

Seto rose from his seat and studied her, pursing his lips. Her posture straight. Calm. Dignified. Like a queen.

_She's taking this rather well, considering…_

"My personal tailor and stylist will be coming shortly to take your measurements. He and his assistants will be making you a dress. You will be accompanying me to a work dinner this evening, and I will expect you to be ready at seven o'clock-in fact, let me introduce you to the household staff…" Before Ishizu could protest, he walked over to the door, cracked it slightly, and crooked his finger, calling the guard outside to him. Whispering a few words in his ear, Seto nodded at the guard for confirmation before the beefy man walked down the hallway, his heavy tread fading in Ishizu's ears.

Ishizu gritted her teeth, not moving a muscle as the door opened again and pleasantries were exchanged. A few male and a female voice chattering amongst themselves and with Seto quietly. "Mr. Kaiba-" "sir-" "After all, sir-"

 _What the hell is he playing at, the bastard-pretending to his staff that I'm a guest here-how_ dare  _he-_

"Miss Ishtar…" Seto walked over to her and cleared his throat, making her jump slightly.

She looked up to take in a cluster of four men and one woman, all young with the exception of a grizzled shorter man in the front, dressed in all black with a white apron tied around his waist.

One of the men was the guard she'd glimpsed earlier, with close-cropped brown hair, spiked slightly in the front, with a stolid, neutral expression on his face. Beside him stood a tall woman with gentle blue eyes and brown hair that framed her face, dressed in a sensible gingham dress emblazoned with the KaibaCorp logo on one shoulder.

Behind her stood a blond man with unkempt hair, dressed in a similar suit to the brunet, and by the older man stood another man, shorter than the other three but taller than his elder neighbor, with fairly odd-looking tri-colored hair-blond in front, red and black where it grew to points in the back. Dressed rather ostentatiously in black leather pants and a sleeveless black shirt, both tightly fitted, and a mass of silver and gold jewelry-in his ears, rings on his fingers, wound in chains both thin and thick around his wrists and neck...

"I'd like to introduce Tristan Taylor and Joseph Wheeler, part of my security detail."

The brunet and the blond stepped to one side, smiling rather broadly at her, and bowed their heads to her.

"Téa Gardner, my housekeeping chief of staff." The woman smiled sweetly and nodded.

"Solomon Moto, my personal chef." The gray-haired man, face traced with deep, intricate patterns of wrinkles, bowed his head.

"And Yugi Moto-Solomon's grandson and my personal tailor and stylist." The small man with the strange hair grinned and gave Ishizu a little wave.

Ishizu bowed her head at each employee in turn. She lifted her eyes to Seto, a faint sardonic smile curling on her lips. "And they all know that I'm not here willingly,  _Seto_?"

_Ha. See how he likes that-_

The staff members all looked rather uncomfortable at her question, but not surprised.

Ishizu swallowed hard, her brow furrowing as ice trailed down her spine.  _They knew. All of them._

_And they did nothing-_

Seto nodded at the motley group of employees, who began to trickle out of the room and to their assigned duties, with the exception of Tristan, who resumed his perch outside of Ishizu's room.

A moment of silence as Ishizu tried desperately not to cry out-to scream-to release the full extent of her  _fury-_

Seto's voice. A drawl. "Have you finished eating?"

Ishizu managed to nod shakily as he bent down, picked up the tray and straightened in one fluid, graceful motion.

He carried the tray over to the door and opened it before pausing. Not looking at her. "Anything else I can do for you, Miss Ishtar?"

Ishizu fought a growl from creeping into her voice. Kept it low. Almost pathetic. "You realize that despite all this-all these niceties-you're still kidnapping me."

He bit his tongue, refusing to let this silly woman wheedle her way into his mind in this manner.  _I have done what needed to be done._

"I know." And then he pulled the door open, stepped into the corridor, and closed it behind him. The clatter of the tumbling lock.

Alone and trapped once more.

Ishizu let out a thick, heavy breath she didn't know she'd been holding in as she rose from her seat, willing her pulse to quiet down-to cease its violent racing throughout her veins-

_Gods give me strength… please, give me patience and the strength to control myself…_

She cast a dark glance at the door before smoothing out her skirt and sweeping her eyes over her surroundings, trying to familiarize herself with this heartless, lifeless room she was to her call her own for the foreseeable future.

- _No._

_This will never be my room._

_Not as long as I'm his prisoner-_

She jumped slightly as the sound of the door unlocking, then a gentle knock interrupted her reverie. "C-come in…"

The door opened slowly and the small, pretty man- _Yugi, was it?-_  stuck his head into the room, violet eyes round. "Miss Ishtar? I'm Yugi Moto- Mr. Kaiba introduced us earlier-"

Ishizu forced a small smile, walking towards him and extending her hand. "Of course-may I call you Yugi?" He stepped into the room and took her hand in his before kissing the back. _Ah, a gentleman…_

"Of course you may, Miss Ishtar." Yugi strode into the center of the room confidently and turned around, his evident excitement and good cheer growing as he took her in. Unabashedly. Studied the way her dress flowed over her body-the cream-colored fabric loose, baggy-revealing little about the form underneath- _such a shame. She's quite pretty-_

He pulled a tape measure out of his back pocket and beckoned her. "Miss Ishtar, do you mind? Mr. Kaiba has asked me to make a dress for you today for this evening-and, well, while I and my assistants  _do_  work fast, I can't work miracles-may I take your measurements?"

Ishizu sighed to herself and walked towards Yugi, who smiled brightly at her, his eyes like stars, before gently lifting her arms away from her sides until her arms were extended out from her shoulders.

"Wingspan…" he murmured to himself as he held the tape measure against her arms, one, then the other.

"Bust…" He met her eyes apologetically before wrapping the measure across her breasts and around her back, clicking his tongue when he settled upon a number.

"Waist…" He repeated the process, wrapping the tape measure round her waist, causing the dress to blouse itself out above the thin strip of plastic. "So you  _do_  have a waist, Miss Ishtar…" He grinned at her once more as Ishizu couldn't stop cheeks from growing warm.

"Hips…" Once more.

He handed her one end of the tape measure. "Miss Ishtar, please place this at your hipbone…" She did as he requested; the smaller man crouched down and held the tape measure perpendicular to the carpeted floor, just grazing the edge of her toe, clicking his tongue once more in satisfaction.

He moved the end of the measure to the front of her other foot; Ishizu moved her end to the other hipbone to allow him to take that number down as well.

Ishizu finally spoke, unable to hide a thread of curiosity from creeping into her voice. "You remember all those measurements in your head, Yugi?"

Yugi stood up and took the tape measure back into his hands before shoving the ribbon back into his pocket. "I've been doing this for a while, Miss Ishtar-now, I'll be back to help you get ready at around six o'clock, since Mr. Kaiba wants you to be ready by seven-is that all right with you?"

_It's not like I have anywhere else to be-_

Ishizu nodded quickly as Yugi's smile faltered for an instant. His eyes wide with pity, he suddenly began to pick at one of his nails. Ishizu couldn't help but chew on her lip to fill the ensuing painful silence.

Then-unfurling between them-a near apology- "I-I-I  _do_  wish to… well-I'm glad have met you, Miss Ishtar, but I understand why you might not be glad to have met me…" He scratched the back of his neck self-consciously, lower lip nearly wobbling

Ishizu regarded him for a moment with a cool gaze, wondering if she could hate him as much as she hated his employer-if she  _ought_  to hate him that much-before deciding to shrug her shoulders casually, as if to say, "what can you do?" and extending her hand towards him once more. "I'll see you later, then, Yugi."

Yugi lifted her hand to his lips once more, causing Ishizu to chuckle quietly, before bowing his head to her, that remorseful look still lingering in his eyes. "Indeed, Miss Ishtar."

Lunch came and went. She was summoned to the door by a knock. Upon opening it, Ishizu was greeted only by another tray, laid out all nicely on the floor. Rice. Steamed vegetables. Exquisite golden-brown shrimp tempura. A teapot, along with a matching cup. As she brought it inside her room, pushing the door closed behind her with one foot, she heard that now-familiar clicking of the lock settling back into place.

She almost wanted to cry upon hearing that sound-

* * *

 

She paced back and forth, sure her feet would wear a hole in the carpet. Sat on one chair. Then the other. Placed her feet onto the coffee table. Then removed them. Lay on the bed. Face up. Face down. On her side. Pounded, fluffed the pillow. Dropped it to the floor. Walked over to the window, with its verdant green vista stretching as far as she could fathom. Twiddled her thumbs. Walked over to the wall by the door and searched for some kind of lever or button-Seto  _had_  said there was a television, after all-

"Oh!" she gasped aloud in surprise as her fingers stumbled upon a tiny switch in the wall, painted so that it blended in-without warning, the wall seemed to split apart in the center as a good-size screen emerged, blank and dark, with a small remote-control device attached to its side.

Ishizu reached for the remote control and removed it, backing up and pressing the power button, before sitting in one of the chairs by the coffee table and flicking through channels to find the midday news channel.

Seto's voice, casually cruel, ripping through her-

" _I'll expect you to be able to make small talk about the news and whatnot with my colleagues and clients, if necessary."_

A twig within her snapped. A string cut loose. She heard a heart-stopping, piercing scream, shuddering as the pure, inhuman sound flooded her ears, raising the hair on the back of her neck, before she realized she was the one who had uttered it.

Eyes suddenly blurred with hot, unmerciful tears, she lifted her arm; the remote flew out of her hand at a wild speed, hurtling towards the wall and bouncing off, its fall muffled by thick carpet.

Still possessed by that primal, wobbling  _hurt_ , she found herself walking, a slight stumble in her tread, over to the wall where the remote had hit.

_Not even a scratch-_

_Nothing._

It was then that she finally allowed herself to weep.

* * *

 

Ishizu breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of the fragrant oils and washes she'd poured into the steaming water of the bathtub. Hoping they would soothe. Lavender. Mint. Honeysuckle… all blending together, cool and warm, sweet.

The water around her body a warm liquid embrace. A caress. Almost tender in its actions, though, of course, entirely without the intention to do so.

If she was going to be imprisoned in quarters with such a nice bathtub, she damned well was going to make use of it.

She'd foolishly promised herself that she would not cry. Would not let him win that way. To wound her pride-

Yet she'd cried herself to sleep on the floor, clutching at the carpet as if it would save her-

She inhaled once more, brushed a thick, wet clump of hair out of her face and briefly submerged herself under the surface of the soothing hot water, closing her eyes tightly, breath leaking out of her nose in tickling bubbles.

_I'll come out of the water, and this will have all been a dream._

_Only a dream-_

Upon breaking the surface of the water she was only slightly disappointed, but not in the least surprised.

_That bastard-_

As the water chilled around her, she still felt warm. That crackling ember. Hatred. Within her belly. The heat emanating throughout her body. Imbuing her every crevice and cell with fire. Rage. A fury she had to control. Swallow. Bide her time.

_Get close._

_Get him to trust me-maybe even fall for me-_

_Then I will kill him._

_I swear by all the gods-_

_I will make him suffer-_

_And I will kill him._

She shivered as she stepped out of the tub, wrapping herself in a thick, fluffy towel, beginning to dry herself off as she heard that familiar sound-unlocking, that false promise of freedom- followed by yet another knock on the door.

_Rap-rap-rap-_

Ishizu froze for a moment, the remaining water now ice-cold on her skin.  _Could it be six o'clock already?_

_Blast-_

She walked quickly into the bedroom and called out. "Is that you, Yugi?"

From the other side of the closed door, voice ever light and friendly: "It is indeed, Miss Ishtar-may I come in?"

Ishizu dashed back into the bathroom, looking haphazardly for some sort of dressing gown-a robe-another towel-anything. Coming up short, she groaned quietly to herself before securing the towel in place and walking through the bedroom to open the door for Yugi.

Not just Yugi-

Yugi and two younger women, one green-haired, one copper-haired, him carrying with utmost delicacy a black garment bag, the women with armfuls of neatly folded clothing and-atop the pile-several pairs of shoes; they bowed their heads in greeting to Ishizu before rushing over to the dresser drawer and carefully placing each perfectly folded garment in the proper drawer.

Despite herself, Ishizu smiled briefly at the small man, who had brushed past her and laid the garment bag upon the bed. "Yugi, are these women your assistants?"

Yugi walked over to her and took her hand, kissing the back of it dramatically. Eyes twinkling. Cheeks pink with pleasure. "My apologies, Miss Ishtar-my assistants are Miho-" the green-haired woman turned and smiled at her- "and Serenity-she's Joseph's sister-" the other woman turned and waved before the pair of them resumed their work.

Ishizu thought of the large blond man from earlier.  _Seto sure hires a lot of families, doesn't he-_

She adjusted the towel around herself. "Are those…"

Yugi nodded, practically beaming. "Yes, Miss Ishtar-Mr. Kaiba said you were to be given everything you would need. I presumed that included undergarments and shirts and the like…"

"I see." Ishizu pressed her lips together, the thought of Seto Kaiba having anything to do with her undergarments making her slightly queasy.  _Well, if it was Yugi-I don't mind quite so much-_

She turned towards the bed, topped with the garment bag and its mysterious contents. "Yugi, this is the dress, correct?"  _This… thing…_

_My costume-_

Yugi blushed with pride at the thought of his own fine handiwork. "Indeed it is, Miss Ishtar-" He strode over to the bed and carefully unzipped the bag, reveling in the feel of the black silk beneath his fingertips.

He gently lifted the dress from the bag and held it up against her. "Take the dress to the bathroom and put it on, Miss Ishtar… I think it'll look excellent…"

Ishizu, slightly at a loss for words, gingerly accepted the mass of fabric and carried it over to the bathroom, kicking the door closed behind her.

Then it was out of the towel, her fingers warily floating over the black silk to find some sort of enclosure- _ah-_ a tiny row of buttons running along one side-sliding the sleek material over her head, smoothing it over her hips, not daring to look in the mirror, feeling for all the world  _rather_  silly, rather  _disgusting_  that she was managing to take any amount of pleasure in this…

Yugi's voice from the other side of the door. "Of course, Miss Ishtar-if I'd had more time-I could have made it  _truly_  spectacular…"

She rolled her eyes at the surely unnecessary disclaimer, wrapped her hair up in the towel and opened the door, stepping into the room slowly, adjusting her bearings, disappearing behind her veneer of calm, poised grace.  _This is ridiculous-all of it-_

Yugi's eyes were massive as he regarded her, making Ishizu feel like cringing and covering her surely overheated cheeks. "Miss Ishtar-well-you look  _lovely_."  _There's that waist, after all-didn't leave too much room in the bust-excellent-_

Serenity and Miho, having since finished filling the chest of drawers, looked similarly pleased with Yugi's handiwork. "Miss Ishtar-" "Miss Ishtar-indeed, you look  _splendid_ -" "-Mr. Moto's done  _quite_  good work here-"

Ishizu yelped as Yugi suddenly took ahold of her wrist in a slender, elegant hand and led her back to the bathroom, back to where the mirror above the sink beckoned. "Miho! Serenity! Please bring my makeup kit and a smock, if you would-"

She couldn't tear her eyes away. Gone was Ishizu Ishtar, ordinary graduate student-in her place was some sort of spectral creature, all curves and smooth skin and piercing eyes, accentuated simply and effectively with kohl, her lips painted a deep red, her hair arranged into a French braid, then wound into a bun with some wavy strands pulled out in front to frame her face-and the  _dress,_ that wicked thing, leaving as it did her shoulders and collarbone exposed, winding around her body, clinging to her breasts, her hips, her rear…

_Eat your heart out, Seto Kaiba._

* * *

 

Seto Kaiba studied his watch for a moment before rolling his head back and cracking his neck a few times.  _Seven o'clock-_

_Any minute now-_

He unlocked the lock on the outside of the door, and, for politeness' sake, knocked a few times. Give her the illusion of control.

"Coming, Mr. Kaiba!" Yugi's voice. High-pitched. Excited.

Evidently Yugi Moto was glad to have the opportunity to be designing and fashioning clothes for women again-after all, suits, no matter how fine, really could be only  _so_  interesting until a certain point…

Seto waited for a moment, irritation rising in his chest.  _It is seven o'clock. Why can none of these idiots-_

His thoughts trailed off quite abruptly as the door swung open and he caught a glimpse of her-Ishizu-

_That woman-_

- _she cleans up rather nicely-_

- _that's an understatement-_

He fought to move his eyes away from following the soft, sleek figure highlighted by the dress-Yugi had outdone himself, over and beyond-from getting caught in her confident, electrifying stare-

 _She was hiding_ that  _under that damned dress of hers-?_

Seto suddenly wished that he had a stiff drink in his hand.

Ishizu slipped on the shoes Miho had laid out for her, reveling in the extra two or so inches of height they lent her, feeling acutely Seto's intent gaze as it swept over her body, drinking her in once, twice, three times, never satisfied, never having its fill-of  _her_.

_He doesn't look half-bad, himself-_

-she couldn't help but noting. Fighting the strange wobbling of her stomach-

She looked down at the floor demurely; couldn't help but smile quietly, darkly to herself.

_Perhaps getting closer to Seto Kaiba won't take as much time as I'd thought…_

* * *

 

"Now, Miss Ishtar," Seto began as Roland drove them away from Kaiba Manor, "tonight we'll be dining with an old-well,  _friend_ is not  _exactly_  the word I would use- _colleague_  of mine, a Mr. Pegasus Crawford. Recently back in town from vacation, I believe…" He trailed off, imagining snidely what kind of idiotic trouble the white-haired dandy could have gotten himself into.

Ishizu raised her eyebrow at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Ah-yes. Well, when I was poised to take over my father's company-the Kaiba Corporation,  _obviously_ -there  _were_  several other local and international corporations that  _had_  been interested in-in, well, acquiring me away from the company. Installing me as their second-in-command-a useless, perfunctory position. After all, it wouldn't have done for the largest arms manufacturer in Asia to be controlled by a teenager…" Seto smirked to himself at the thought of those endless fools-among whom Pegasus was included-who had tried to save his father's face-to stop Seto's ascendance-to halt his precocious rise to power-

-and they had all failed.  _Utterly._  Seto had managed to wrest control from his father, even with heads of nearly all the other local major companies desperate not to lose control of the status quo-

Ishizu fought from rolling her eyes at Seto's incessant pausing- _for preening, no doubt_ -during his story.

"Well, Pegasus' company, Industrial Illusions, was one of them. But there are no hard feelings between us. He's  _quite_  excellent company, despite his insistent whimsy, and a major stakeholder in the Kaiba Corporation to this day."

"I see." Ishizu directed her gaze out the window, praying he would cease talking. Allow her to collect her thoughts. Try to pretend she wasn't merely being used as arm candy for one of the most ruthless men in Japan-

Seto scowled briefly at her lack of interest-her reticence-and modulated his tone to be slightly more…  _friendly_. "So, Miss Ishtar, this is rather a test run for you. After all, the stakes  _are_ rather low- you're to smile and be polite, charming, witty-I'm sure that won't be a problem for you…"

A compliment slipping from his lips…

Ishizu turned her head to face him, lips curved upwards seraphically. "I don't think that will be a problem, Seto."

As she looked away, Seto exhaled sharply, his eyes coming to rest upon her. That dress. Her legs. Under that dress-

As the limousine pulled up in front of the hoity-toity-looking restaurant, located in an equally fine hotel, Seto cleared his throat and finally managed to rip his eyes away from her body, coming to focus on the side of her face.

"Miss Ishtar-"

She turned her head from where she'd been watching the streets melt into one another through tinted windows, feeling his eyes crawling over her like tentative fingers, and met his gaze. "Yes, Seto?"

Seto gestured for her to look out her window. Ishizu did-and before she could stop herself, gasped quietly.

As soon as the limousine had parked-an endless glittering clutter of flashbulbs and cameras, glowing harshly against the darkening sky-

- _the damned paparazzi-_

Ishizu quite abruptly felt at a loss for words.  _This is what he meant-_

_-and these idiots follow him around when he goes out-?_

In that moment, she almost pitied the man.

Seto ducked his head in recognition, a small embarrassed smile flashing onto his face-a most strange look, Ishizu noted with some shock-he almost looks-

- _human-?_

"Now you see what I have to deal with." And the cold Seto Kaiba she was accustomed to was back, voice frosty, contemptuous, endlessly arrogant.

Ishizu bit the inside of her cheek as Roland opened Seto's door; Seto climbed out of the car gracefully, carelessly-then he was outside her own door, pulling it open-the masklike expression on his face giving way to what looked like-

-an almost  _genuine_  smile-

- _no_ -

She couldn't bring herself to believe it.

He extended his hand to hers as she got out of the car, then dropped it to rest against the small of her back  _-playing the part of the devoted boyfriend, I see_ \- as they peeled through the various photographers and tabloid reporters screaming his name, clamoring for their attention, wondering aloud who this woman with Seto Kaiba was-

As soon as they entered the foyer of the hotel building, a blessed quiet enveloping them, Ishizu couldn't help but quip, "it's not every day when an arms dealer is treated like a teenage heartthrob…"

Seto smirked, moving his hand from her back-immediately regretting it. "Well,  _Ishizu-_ " he remarked, savoring this first use of her given name-the rich feel of it on his tongue- "it's not every day when an arms dealer looks like  _me_."

Ishizu couldn't hold back a groan at his own self-aggrandizement as a man dressed in black opened the door before them; Seto placed his hand once more to the small of her back and escorted her inside the dimly-lit restaurant.

As the heavy door swung closed behind them, Ishizu couldn't help but getting the nagging suspicion that she'd ensnared herself in yet another trap.

The restaurant was one of those ultra-modern, low-lighting, square-plate affairs where entrées were merely listed, no price given-no description given, for it was expected that the clientele would understand what the various foodstuffs and their composite ingredients were. People clustered at tables, all finely dressed. Wine glasses twinkling in the light. Delicate hands with forks and knives, clattering against fine china. Murmurs. Warm tones. Ishizu swallowed hard as she tried to take in all of her surroundings, waiting for her eyes to adjust to this warm, disgustingly intimate setting.

" _Kaiba-boy_!" came a mellifluous voice from deeper within the restaurant. Emitting from a flamboyantly-dressed white-haired man rising with no small amount of grace from a table, his face half hidden by that sleek curtain of hair, beginning to approach them with arms extended.

Ishizu could have sworn she saw Seto grit his teeth at the endearment, his eyes briefly flashing coldly. Found herself reveling in his annoyance.

They approached the white-haired man, Ishizu suddenly feeling a queasy thrill ripple through her at the prospect of Seto's demands for the evening.

_Witty. Charming. The perfect dinner guest-_

- _the perfect girlfriend-_

"I see we've not stopped using that nickname, Pegasus." Seto's voice wry.

The men shook hands as Pegasus replied, "oh,  _never_ , Kaiba-boy; not when it irritates you so  _delightfully_ …" He turned his twinkling gaze towards Ishizu, beginning to beam as he took her in. Appraised her. "Why, Kaiba-boy-you never mentioned you'd taken a lady-friend… such a  _exquisite_  creature she is…" He bowed low before her, then stepped in closer and kissed her on both cheeks. Ishizu found her cheeks warming slightly at the gesture.

He swept his manicured hand along hers.  _These rich men, with their soft hands…_  "My name is Pegasus Crawford. I'm an old friend of Kaiba-boy's here. We go  _quite_  far back, he and I…" his voice trailed off nostalgically as Seto fought from rolling his eyes at his colleague's utter ridiculousness.

Pegasus snapped his eye back to Seto. "And how long have you two lovebirds been together? You simply  _must_ tell me everything..."

"It's relatively recent-several weeks," Seto replied smoothly, pressing his hand against Ishizu's spine softly, feeling her shiver strangely and subtly against his touch.  _I do hope she remembers that for our purposes-_

Pegasus looked utterly chuffed. "Ah-you must  _still_ be in that honeymoon stage... I bet you can't keep your hands off one another…."

Ishizu grinned cheekily, turning to look at Seto, her eyes never leaving his as she replied, a hint of implications in her voice. "That's  _right_ , Mr. Crawford-in fact, over the course of the dinner, I would  _highly_ discourage you from looking beneath the table-unless you're in the mood for a little shock, that is…"

Seto nearly swallowed his own tongue.

Pegasus clapped his hands together in evident pleasure. "Ah! Kaiba-boy! You've found a treasure-both beautiful and a mind to her as well.  _Oh,_ this will be a  _splendid_  dinner-I can tell already."

He took Ishizu's hand and guided her over to the table, Seto following in tow, already regretting choosing Pegasus as their trial run dinner.  _Better make that_ two  _stiff drinks-_

Pegasus pulled out Ishizu's chair for her with a flourish. "Please, Ishizu, darling, call me Pegasus. I can tell we're going to be  _fabulous_ friends."

Ishizu lowered herself into her seat, allowing herself a broad grin as she looked back up at him. "I think so too, Pegasus."

 _I regret this already-_ Seto sighed quietly, imperceptibly, as he pulled out his own chair and sat across from Ishizu at the square table, with Pegasus settling in between them.

Pegasus lifted his hand in a lazy, graceful gesture; a suited waiter appeared, seemingly from nowhere, to proffer menus, printed on elegant parchment in neat, tiny black handwriting.

Ishizu took a deep breath sharply as she scanned the menu, realizing that a good number of the options-duck rillettes, stuffed choux puffs, Veal Oscar, bouillabaisse-did not exactly ring a bell for her...

Clearing her throat gently, Ishizu leaned across the table towards Seto and murmured quietly, keeping all traces of panic from her voice. "Seto, would you mind ordering for us?"  _The bastard didn't even prepare me for dinner- I have no idea what the hell half of these things even are-_

Seto saw the flash of discomfort in those dark eyes and nodded curtly. "Of course."  _I ought to have clued her in on this place-_

Pegasus summoned the waiter again. "Would anyone like wine? The selection here is  _fabulous_ …"

Ishizu bit her lower lip. "I'll be fine with whatever you order, Pegasus-I'm not much of a wine expert, myself…"  _I_ could  _use a shot of vodka to get through this dinner, though…_

Pegasus smiled and leaned over towards the waiter. "We'll have three glasses of the 2009 Chave Hermitage Blanc,  _s'il vous plait_." The waiter bowed his head and left.

Ishizu shifted in her seat and crossed her legs at the ankles. Picked up the intricately folded napkin underneath the heavy silver fork. Placed it in her lap, smoothing out every last wrinkle before settling her hands there. Clasping.  _Breathe. In. Out-_

"So, Ishizu, my dear, you simply  _must_  tell me how you two darlings met-I'm sure it's  _quite_  the story, knowing  _this_  one…" Pegasus jerked his head towards Seto, who was beginning to look quite cross at this whole affair, and winked at her with his one visible eye playfully.

Ishizu felt a droplet of sweat form under her chignon.  _We probably should have discussed this beforehand-_

 _Well, I guess it's_ my  _turn to dictate the terms for once-_

Inwardly enjoying a smile at Seto's expense, she spoke, mind racing to form coherent sentences and string them along into a plausible story. "Well, Pegasus-if you  _must_  know-it's not a particularly  _interesting_  story…"

Seto clenched his fists together in his lap, paling slightly as Ishizu bought herself time- _damn-he's going to realize something's up if she doesn't pull some believable bullshit together-_

She cleared her throat and gripped the napkin tightly in one hand, feeling Pegasus' eye boring into hers. "Well, I'm a graduate student in curatorial studies at the Courtauld Institute in London, but my family lives here in Domino-we moved here from Egypt when I was just a girl, you see-and, well, I'd decided to fly home during my break to see my family-my two brothers, that is-instead of traveling with classmates or working on my thesis-I'm  _slightly_  behind on that front-" she allowed herself a girlish giggle of self-deprecation- "and, well, I decided to take a trip to the museum here in the city to see, perhaps, if I could find an area in which I wanted to focus my research, and-well-his driver  _nearly_  ran me  _down_ -"

Pegasus clapped his hands together and released a melodic peal of laughter, leaning back and patting Seto on the shoulder in an almost parental way. "Oh, Ishizu-do go  _on_ -"

Seto bit his tongue hard, fighting the urge to retort something caustic in defense of Roland; as Ishizu's eyes met his own, she subtly raised an eyebrow, lips curling into a smirk. "Well, as you can  _imagine_ , Seto here was slightly mortified over the whole thing, seeing as how he only hires the  _best_  to work for him, you know, and, well, he decided to be a  _gentleman_ , for once-" winking at Seto, who gritted his teeth and smiled back at her, nails digging into his palms- "and decided to buy me lunch as an apology." She looked back at Pegasus and lowered her voice conspiratorially. "So-we got to  _talking_ , and he offered to give me a ride home, and,  _well_ …" she trailed off, allowing Pegasus to imply what he might- "the rest is history."

As the waiter returned with the wine, temporarily distracting Pegasus, Seto finally blinked as the muscles in his back unclenched.  _Well done, Ishizu. Well done._

* * *

 

_Take a sip of wine. Smile. Laugh. Allow Seto to order. Listen. Watch. Smile. Take a bite of food. Interject when appropriate. Look at Seto. He's looking at me- Take another bite of food. Accept when Pegasus offers to share. Laugh. Look at Seto. Smile. Take a sip of wine. He's still looking- And so on..._

* * *

 

"You two were holding out on me-why, I assumed you two lovers would be playing a merciless game of footsie beneath the table!" Pegasus grinned brightly at her as the trio made their way to the hotel foyer.

Ishizu gave the white-haired man a crooked smile. "Ah, well, we refrained for your benefit, Pegasus-after all, we  _are_  headed home now..."

Another laugh from Pegasus. "Ah, I  _do_  like you, Ishizu. I hope our paths cross again soon." He leaned in and kissed her quickly, once on each cheek, before shaking Seto's hand.

As he walked towards the front door of the hotel, he called back: "Kaiba-boy, you've got  _quite_ the treasure on your hands!"

"I count my lucky stars every day," quipped Seto in response, prompting Ishizu to gnaw on her lower lip.

Once Pegasus was out of earshot, he moved his hand to the small of her back. "You did  _quite well,_ Ishizu."  _Better than I could have anticipated- the woman is a chameleon-_

Ishizu looked up at him through lowered lashes, knowing she looked fairly irresistible in this moment.

_Honey. Fly into the trap, Seto Kaiba._

"Thank you," she whispered, the slight huskiness of her voice sending shivers down his spine.

Seto pushed open the door to the hotel, grimacing as the bright yellow flashing lights of the paparazzi greeted them, snapping to attention once their target had made himself visible and swarming them, a group of vicious lamps to two slight moths.

"Seto-Mr. Kaiba-" "Mr. Kaiba, who is she?" "Mr. Kaiba, the president of the United States has condemned the proliferation of nuclear weapons-" "Mr. Kaiba, do you have a comment-"

Seto kept his face stony as he guided Ishizu through the throngs of reporters and photographers, the eager muckrakers reaching out, trying to grab at him-at her-at them-

"Mr. Kaiba, who is she-" "Mr. Kaiba, are you finally dating someone?" "How long have you been keeping her a secret, Mr. Kaiba-"

Then he was opening the door, pushing her gently into the backseat, then sliding in alongside her, closing the door, letting out an aggrieved sigh as the car pulled away. Slumping against the seat. Head thrown back. A faint sheen of sweat in the moonlight on his forehead.

Ishizu took a deep, slightly shaky breath as she regarded him-her captor-her target-as his chest rose and fell at increasingly longer intervals.

_The way he was looking at me all night-_

_If I can do this-_

_-tonight-_

_I can be out of here by the morning._

Forget the company-though, of course, the untimely death of its CEO would certainly be more than enough to send the stocks plummeting-

She turned her gaze to him, lowered her eyelids. "Well, Seto Kaiba-you were right about why the paparazzi follow you around like that…" Her hands- _oh-so-gently_ -brushed against his chest with as she trailed her fingers upwards. "Mind if I…" she asked quietly, loosening his tie, watching his Adam's apple move as she pulled the fabric knot apart.

Seto's heart began to pound in his chest at her sudden closeness. Her hands now on his shoulders. Lips full. Eyes heavy. Alarmingly so.  _What is this woman-_

It dawned on him.

_-she must be drunk-_

Ishizu scooted in closer to him so that their hips were touching. Turned in the seat to face him. Studying his profile as he lifted his head, then looked directly at her, eyes narrowing, the vivid pale blue startling.

"Ishizu, you're drunk. This is not happening." His voice was just  _slightly_  fraying at the edges.  _I'm keeping her as a prisoner, dammit. I'm not a monster-_

_Besides, I promised her brother I wouldn't touch her…_

He grasped her wrists in his hands and moved them back into her lap. Firmly.

Ishizu lowered her head, glad for the night's darkness hiding her infuriated scarlet cheeks.

The limousine pulled up in front of Kaiba Manor. Roland excited the car, and before he could open Ishizu's door, Seto had opened the door opposite and climbed out of the car, taking long strides to the front door.

Ishizu wanted to kick herself. Hard.  _So close-and, of course, he proves himself to be a decent human being in that regard._

_Of course-_

She slid towards the open door and climbed out, only to find the sweet, tender features of Téa Gardner-Seto's housekeeping chief of staff-awaiting her, eyes looking sisterly and concerned.

"Seto mentioned you had a little too much to drink, honey…" She extended a hand to Ishizu, who, sighing under her breath, made her body appear loose, intoxicated, looking up at Téa and nodding weakly, crinkling her forehead for effect.

Slowly Téa helped her up the steps and throughout the endless maze of passageways of the Kaiba Manor until Ishizu, thoroughly disoriented by the layout of the place, found herself in the room-she refused to call it  _hers-_ and then Téa was helping her unbutton the ridiculous dress and handing her a nightgown from the chest of drawers. Seating her carefully on the bed.

"Would you like some water, Miss Ishtar?" A hand on her forehead. Cool. Soft.

Ishizu shook her head. "No, thank you, Miss Gardner-I think I just need some quiet…" She stretched and yawned for effect as the other woman nodded and left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Ishizu leapt up from the bed, rushing to the bathroom, scrabbling for the soap to wash this wretched makeup off of her face-fat lot of good it had done her-

She wanted to scream, so she muffled her cry with a balled-up hand towel.

 _I wouldn't have been able to escape anyway-even if he_ had  _taken me to bed and I had succeeded..._

As she walked back into the room-

-she heard a faint twitching noise.

Not animal-not a  _rat_ , certainly-

She walked over to the windows and drew them closed.

That  _noise_  again-

She walked towards the television against the wall, searching for the hidden switch that made it go away-

-and as she moved closer, the twitching sound grew louder-

-almost…

…  _mechanical_ -

Ishizu's blood iced in her veins as she walked towards the door…

-and heard it again-

_A motion sensor?_

A terrible thought gripped her tightly.

_Or-_

_-a camera?_

She swept her eyes wildly along the wall with the mounted television-the screen, the hidden switch to show and hide it, the light switch… coming to rest upon the door itself. That innocuous thing. Tall, wooden, painted white, almost blending into the wall… that pretty crown moulding above the door.

She looked up and squinted-saw a flash of light, heard that twitching sound-then, quickly, disguised the gesture as a yawn-

_Above the door-_

She stretched her arms above her head to continue the yawn, then turned around and walked back to the bed, looking at the floor, keeping her face and posture normal-calm-as if she hadn't just discovered that Seto Kaiba had the ability to track her every move in the room.

_He saw me cry-earlier?_

The thought wracked through her. Rippled within her.

_No._

_That-that wasn't there before-no. I would have heard it earlier…_

Mind scrambling. Putting the pieces together…

_Seto must have had it installed during our dinner-_

_-that bastard-_

She walked back to the bed and sat down slowly, not daring to glance in the direction of the screen, yet-

_I have to act natural._

_I cannot let him know that I found it-_

As her breathing steadied, a low, dull heat burned within her. Curling. Coming to a point. Beneath her skin.

_You want a show, Seto Kaiba?_

_You want to see me break?_

She made herself hiccup loudly. Punctuated. The sound coming out like a sob.

Then again.

Tearing from her lips, her throat, a mournful wail-

Abbreviated.

Then another sob.

Another.

A wail-interrupted by a sob.

Hands to her face. A shudder of her shoulders.

Followed by another sob. Wail. Sob. Sob. Wail-sob. Shudder.

Then all over again. Expanding to allow a keening noise to pop up here and there.

Once and again. Finding a rhythm. Beginning to rock back and forth on the bed.

Almost managing to work up real tears.

_I'll give you a show, Seto Kaiba._


	3. Burgundy Rose

Seto Kaiba awoke at five o'clock each and every morning. Without fail.

As soon as the first rays of sunlight broke ruthlessly through the gap in his dark blue curtains his eyes fluttered open. He squinted against the brightness. Rolled onto his back. Stared at the ceiling. Groaned, because it hadn't been enough. Not enough sleep. As usual.

He sat up. Cracked his neck a few times. Flexed and curled his fingers. Wincing as what was surely a burgeoning case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome strained at his wrists, the flash of pain making him grunt.

Mokuba  _was_  always telling him to take a vacation…

The maid, as per usual, had left a cup of coffee and a croissant on a tray, along with several of the world's leading daily papers, all tied together in a crisp bundle- _Yomiuri Shimbun,_ the _Guardian,_ the  _Wall Street Journal_ ,  _Reference News_ -along with the less-erudite  _Domino Herald_. Seto got out of his king-size bed with its dark blue coverlet, rolled back his shoulders, and padded across the thickly carpeted floor to retrieve his breakfast.

He ate neatly, not spilling a crumb of the pastry, as he had been trained to do as a child, as he briefly flipped through the international papers, clicking his tongue in approval at various stock reports and trade deals littering the news outlets' business sections.  _Very good, very good._

Taking a sip of the steaming hot black coffee, Seto turned idly to the  _Domino Herald_ -while it was Domino City's most popular newspaper, circulation did not exactly connote prestige, as much of the non-business or sports sections of the daily was devoted to more tabloid, tawdry affairs.

He laughed under his breath, thinly and harshly, as he saw his own scowling face plastered on the front page of the  _Life_  section-him fending off a photographer, looking ready to punch someone, hand on Ishizu's back, as he led her to the restaurant at the Domino City Ritz-Carlton.

"Domino City's Most Eligible Bachelor-SPOTTED ON A DATE WITH A MYSTERIOUS WOMAN!"

He flipped to the continuation of the story, avoiding getting dusty ink on his fingertips, where several television personalities and reporters had given their opinions of the presumed couple-wondering blithely who this unfamiliar woman was, how the pair of them looked together, how long they'd been secretly dating before taking that step and going out in public together…

_Ishizu Ishtar-_

_That strange, unfathomable woman._

One minute she was obedient. Quiet. Fearful yet calm. Serene.

The next-

Winking at him and joking around with Pegasus, voice heavy with laughter and implications, like the two were the best of friends…

Then-

In the limousine-

Seto blushed delicately as he recalled her unnerving behavior in the backseat. How she'd smiled at him. Murmured in his ear. Loosened his tie. Her hands moving to his shoulders. Eyes half-lidded. Wanting.

And testing his willpower.

Seto took another bite of pastry.  _I mean, I know I'm no eyesore, but she must have had too much to drink. She would not have acted in such a way had she not been intoxicated…_

Then why did the mere thought of her-her proximity the previous night-and, by  _god_ , how she'd looked in that dress, blooming like a flower under Yugi's care-make him feel slightly feverish? Ill? Was that it?

_There is no way she would have done that of her own volition-_

_After all, I_ am  _her captor. As unfortunate for her as that is…_

That familiar spark of rage at her foolish brother making his pulse race under the skin.

Seto finished his coffee and placed the china cup back onto the tray.

After his shower, he stood before his bathroom mirror, dragging a razor over his neck and chin carefully, glad, as always, that no one would ever see him like this-towel around his waist, hair wet and flat against his head, face half-covered in white lather.

He wondered idly if she'd been able to sleep.  _I suppose a look at the tapes would tell me that-_

He didn't regret the last-minute decision to install a security camera in her room. While Ishizu and Pegasus had been enjoying their second glasses of wine, nibbling on various bites of cheese and, frankly, paying little attention to Seto, he'd sent a message to Tristan and Joey, who had promptly done what he'd asked and placed the camera somewhere subtle, out of sight…

Little chance she'd find it, anyway…

Then he was standing in his closet, regarding the vast array of suits in various blacks and grays, deciding what to wear.

In the corner of the closet, folded into a pile and pressed carefully, were the rather ridiculous and theatrical trenchcoats he'd worn as a youth. Back when he was the definition of a peacock, strutting around, endlessly squawking about himself-about his dueling prowess, before he'd given up the game to focus his energies on running the company-

It was much better to be a shark, he reasoned, as he selected a dark gray wool suit-darker than the one he'd worn the previous day-along with a light blue shirt, perfectly ironed by one of Yugi's assistants, and a matching gray tie.

Sharks, after all, had real bite. They commanded fear and respect. Peacocks merely were flash with nothing of real power to them.

He made his way through the corridors of the Manor, walking down several winding staircases and descending into the spacious, furnished basement.  _I believe it should be Tristan's shift now_ , he thought vaguely, looking at his watch, as he approached the Kaiba Manor control room. Submitting to the retinal scan, he crossed his arms as the door slid open to reveal, in fact, Tristan Taylor, sitting before the monitors.

Or-rather-leaning back in his swivel chair before the monitors. Feet on the desk. Head drooping to one side.

Seto bristled and cleared his throat. "Tristan?"  _Please_ do  _pay attention to your job…_

The larger man turned his head sharply, noticed his forbidding employer standing in the doorway of the control room, gulped audibly and righted himself. "G-good morning, Mr. Kaiba-"

Seto waved his hand dismissively as he entered the room, turning to face the wall of monitors-seven in all, now that the camera in Ishizu's room had been installed and connected-and focused on that monitor, taking in the crystal-clear image, taken from a high angle, of Ishizu curled up in that bed under the white coverlet, apparently sound asleep.

He tapped Tristan on the shoulder. "Has Miss Ishtar been sleeping long?"

Tristan nodded. "Joseph reported, when he and I traded shifts at midnight, that she had been asleep for about an hour prior. She did not wake up during the night."

Seto leaned forward, zeroing his gaze in on the form of the woman. "Pull up the feed from last night in the room-starting from when the camera was installed."

Tristan dutifully pressed a few buttons on his keyboard and the image shifted to the same room, only now shrouded in the darkness of night. Téa leading the wobbly Ishizu through the doorway, murmuring kind words and encouragements. Helping her change into a nightgown. Téa guiding her onto the bed, asking if she'd like some water. Ishizu demurring. Téa leaving. Ishizu heading for the bathroom. Ishizu walking around the room, seemingly confused. Ishizu yawning, walking back to her bed.

-Ishizu  _sobbing_. Shoulders shaking. Hands covering her face-

Seto swallowed hard at the image on the screen, something like a sickness trickling through him. "That's enough, Tristan."

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba." And then the image returned to the sun-drenched scene of Ishizu, still sleeping. Not moving, not tossing or turning-back and side rising and falling gently. In a rhythm.

He couldn't make out the expression on her face.

* * *

 

Ishizu was awakened from another dreamless bout of slumber by the sound of the lock being opened, followed by that familiar, persistent knock.

 _Rap-rap-rap_ -

A shudder ran through her. Almost a Pavlovian reaction.

_Still here, I see-_

_Still trapped._

She sat up in her bed and stretched before walking across the room to answer the door.

"Miss Ishtar." Seto stood before her once again, silver tray held out before him, laden with a bowl of what appeared to be oatmeal, a pot of coffee, a little bowl of sugar. "I thought I would bring you breakfast this morning-if you don't mind…" A hint of something in his voice. Like it was almost an order.

Ishizu fought to stop her shoulders from tensing up, suddenly very aware of her state of dress. Less revealing than the gown from the previous night, perhaps, but more intimate…

Seto licked his lips almost nervously as he considered her in that blousy, knee-length nightgown-considering the events of the prior night-

 _As if I have a choice._  "O-of course, Seto. You happened to wake me up-forgive my appearance…" Her voice trailed off as Seto brushed past her and laid the tray on the table by the chairs. Ishizu gritted her teeth, knowing he couldn't see her, and pushed the door closed.

He sat down, poured himself a cup of coffee, and crossed his legs. "Please don't worry about it-I've seen worse…"  _That was an unconscionably asinine thing to say-_

Despite herself, Ishizu bit back a grin at his expense before taking her seat, lifting the bowl of oatmeal before her and taking a spoonful of the hot cereal.

They sat there in silence for a few moments as Ishizu ate, Seto racking his brain for something to say-something to, perhaps, make this a  _bit_  less awkward-

After all, she'd practically thrown herself at him the previous night-

And now he was bringing her breakfast and seeing her in her nightgown, her long dark hair wavy with bedhead and strewn around her shoulders.

_-Not to mention having seen her cry…_

Seto cleared his throat, placing the cup back onto the tray. "Miss Ishtar-last night-your behavior was exceedingly strange towards me."

_Have I been found out-has he realized-?_

Ishizu took a deep breath, willing her heart rate to slow, widening her eyes in innocent confusion. "I-I'm sorry, Seto?"

 _She doesn't even remember-she must have been just pissed drunk._  Seto nervously scratched the back of his neck, wondering how best to bring up her wayward actions towards him in the back of the limousine.

"Ah-well. That's fortunate for you, I suppose… anyway, you  _clearly_  had  _far_  too much to drink; when we got back in the limo you-well-"

_Looked at me like you wanted to eat me alive._

"-made a pass at me."

Ishizu froze.  _He merely thinks I was drunk._  Not daring to sigh in relief, she placed the oatmeal back down on the tray with shaky hands and immediately and very obviously bit her lip, lowering her gaze to the floor in a show of embarrassment. "I-I did? Well-I-I don't remember doing that, Seto-I'm  _quite_  sorry to have caused you any trouble…"

_I wish I could blush on command-_

Seto lifted his coffee cup to his lips. "Ah-well, it wasn't  _that_  much of a problem, Miss Ishtar-after all, if I didn't know how to let down attractive women I'd have been married  _several_ times over. However, I  _did_  promise you that despite your performance in public, there would be nothing of that nature occurring between us privately. Therefore, while your behavior was merely a surprise and an annoyance to me, it was  _quite_  inappropriate…"

Ishizu bit back a low, bitter retort. I'm  _the one who's inappropriate?-he's the one who's holding me prisoner in his own house-asshole-_

"… and, I'm sure, not what you would have wanted to occur between us, given the state of our acquaintance."

"Ah-in any case, Seto-I  _am_  quite sorry. It won't happen again."  _I'll have to note how much he observes me drinking…_

Seto nodded, considering the matter settled, and finished the cup of coffee. "Now, about this evening."

Ishizu looked up at him, eyebrows raised. "This evening?"

Seto poured himself another cup. "Yes-we seem to have met at a  _rather_  busy time in my life-"

_More like you took me from my home and locked me in a room, only letting me out to be your fake lover for the sake of the media-_

"-and, therefore, you will be accompanying me to a formal party being thrown by one of my fellow Domino leaders of industry-a Mr. Ziegfried von Schroeder of the Schroeder Corporation-" Seto couldn't but groan subtly, inwardly at the mention of the pink-haired poseur.

 _He makes Pegasus Crawford seem_ normal  _by comparison-_

Ishizu pressed her lips together. "I see."

Seto stood up, smoothing out his suit jacket and picking up the tray. "I will arrive to fetch you from this room at seven o'clock. Yugi Moto and his assistants have  _kindly_  spent the night working overtime at my request, making you a dress suitable for this occasion. I expect he will arrive to get you ready sometime this evening."

_Fetch me-like some object-_

_-he had his employees work like-like slaves, throughout the night-on my behalf-_

Her quiet fury mounted, coming to a slow simmer.

"Seto, you didn't have to do that…"  _Are there no depths to your cruelty, Seto Kaiba?_

He shrugged casually, voice flat. "It's their job."  _Besides, Yugi practically volunteered…_

As Seto brought the tray over to the door, a wild thought tugged at Ishizu's mind.  _Well, if he expects me to go out prancing and swooning over him again-_

"Seto?" She allowed her voice to crack on the second syllable of his name.

She stood and clasped her hands before her. Like a sweet, soft girl. Pure. Unthreatening. "I-I was wondering-might I be allowed to speak with my brothers?-to let them know, you know, that I'm safe and being cared for and everything?"

"No." The answer came abruptly with little thought as Seto looked at her coldly. "You haven't yet demonstrated that you won't be any trouble."

_I will kill you slowly. I will watch your eyes go blank. And I will laugh._

She nodded slowly in response, tucking her chin into her chest as Seto watched her curiously. Cautiously. Her gaze lowering to her feet. Staring at her toenails.

A sniffle. Shoulders rounding. Lower lip wobbling as she shuddered, then lifted her hand to flutter briefly in front of her mouth, swallowing air in loud gulps, then throwing her head back as if to stifle tears, to stop them from welling up in her eyes and spilling forth…

 _Damn. She did_ not  _take that well…_  Seto felt a slight bitter taste in his mouth at the sight of her crumpling. Wilting before him-as she had the previous night in her bed, though, of course, without her knowing she was being watched…

 _Fall for it…_  Ishizu lowered her head, fixing her teary gaze upon Seto, blinking rapidly, making a show of taking deep, calming breaths, of trying to actively push down the swell of negative emotions that had overtaken her. "I-I understand, Seto-it's just that-there's nothing really for me to  _do_  in here, save for watching television or sleeping… there's not really anyone for me to talk to, except for you or-or Yugi…" She gnawed on her lower lip as she continued to look pitifully at Seto.

_Well, I could always introduce her to-_

"How would you like to meet my younger brother, Miss Ishtar?"

The question hung precariously in the air. Ishizu pretended to wipe her eyes on the back of her hand.

 _Good god. Another Kaiba-another asshole to deal with_ -

- _younger, too-no doubt he's even brattier than his brother is heartless-_

"Ah-that'd be… well, I'd really appreciate that, Seto," she replied, bowing her head slightly in thanks.

Seto let out a sigh of relief.  _Thank god she didn't start weeping again…_

_And, besides, Mokuba can cheer practically anyone up-_

"Well, if you'll get dressed quickly, I'll be back here with my brother shorty and he can give you a tour of the Manor. Does that sound acceptable to you, Miss Ishtar?"

Ishizu curved her mouth up into a wan smile. "It does indeed-thank you, Seto…"

"I'll be right back." Shifting the tray onto one hand with ease, he pulled open the door, stepped across the threshold and closed it behind him. Then the sound of locking. Again.

Ishizu chewed on the inside of her cheek roughly, fighting back a groan of annoyance.  _I had to open my damned mouth and now I'll be forced to entertain the bastard's brother all day long…_

She walked over to the dresser, haphazardly pulling open drawers and rummaging through endless piles of clothes until, finally, she withdrew a white, long-sleeved peasant blouse, a pale blue ankle-length skirt, and the appropriate undergarments.  _Well, it seems Yugi figured me out rather quickly-in terms of what clothing I prefer-_

She changed, darted into the bathroom, splashed some water on her face, combed through her hair, brushed her teeth, and returned to the bedroom, fairly thrumming with nervous irritation.  _I don't suppose I could feign illness…?_

The rattle of the door unlocking made her jump.  _That was rather fast of him-_

Before he could knock, Seto found the door opening before him; he looked down at Ishizu, now dressed, combed, freshened. Eyes blazing.

"Ah. I see you're ready then. Miss Ishtar, I'd like you to meet Mokuba Kaiba, my younger brother, currently home from university…" Seto turned his head to face the corridor and crooked his finger.

A shock of black hair popped into view as Mokuba Kaiba, an almost unconscious bounce in his step, approached the doorway and swung himself through the threshold and into the bedroom; Ishizu's eyes widened in surprise as she took a step back to accommodate the younger Kaiba's sprightly energy, so different from his brother's eerie, frosty calm.

Mokuba extended a hand towards Ishizu. "It's great to meet you, Miss Ishtar…" Ishizu took his hand in her own as she looked him over. In contrast to Seto's clean-cut, buttoned-up image, his younger brother, who came up to roughly Seto's shoulder, had wild, unkempt hair pulled back into a mess of a ponytail at the base of his neck, and was clad in a faded t-shirt with some kind of sketchy metallic-looking creature and blue jeans, perfectly and artfully worn with holes in the knees, with thick-soled combat boots completing this strange ensemble.

"Pleasure's all mine." Ishizu kept her voice calm. Pleasant. Placid.

Seto looked from Ishizu to his brother and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Now, Mokuba, you're going to be giving Ishizu a tour of the house, as well as of the grounds, if she so chooses. The weather looks fine today." He narrowed his eyes at her. "You are, of course, permitted to be  _nowhere_  near my personal study or my personal quarters."

_His personal study…?_

Mokuba and Ishizu nodded as the latter murmured softly, trying to hide a hint of acid in her tone, "and I'm assuming your brother knows the terms of my stay?"

Mokuba scratched at the back of his neck and lowered his eyes to his boots. Ishizu sighed resignedly. "Well, at any rate, it'll be nice to get out of this room. Mokuba, lead on."

The younger Kaiba's face brightened; he lunged forward suddenly and took Ishizu's hand, threading his fingers in between hers. "Well then-let's go!"

As Seto watched, the faintest hint of an amused smile playing on his lips, Mokuba practically flew out of the room, dragging Ishizu, red-faced, the wind knocked out of her, behind him, down the corridor and around the corner. "I can't  _wait_  for you to see my quarters-they're  _way_  cooler than what Seto's got-ah, not that you'd know, of course-you'll have to take my word for it-"

* * *

 

Kaiba Manor was among the finest places Ishizu had ever been in.

And she made a habit of visiting museums regularly.

The exterior façade of the house was, perhaps, a false advertisement for what the rest of the building delivered; all done up in a Romanesque style, mounted with proud fluted columns, dotted with red-and-white bricks-yet the interior of the house was impossibly light and airy and modern. Sleek. Almost intimidating in scale. High ceilings, rooms filled with light. An endless parade of corridors. Sitting rooms. Living rooms. Atriums. Bathrooms. Parlors. Guest bedrooms-her own accommodations became less of a mystery to her. Dark, square couches and white-blanketed beds, all low to the ground like the one she slept in. Ankle-deep carpeting alternating with glowing wood floors. Simple-but elegant chairs made of the same smooth, bright wood. Flat-screen televisions in nearly every room.

To Ishizu's surprise, there seemed to be art in nearly every room as well-abstract paintings on the walls, all done up to match the decor of the room it hung in-or small decorative works placed on tables-the occasional tinted-glass window, casting a flash of color onto white carpeting.

_Well, he clearly has taste-_

She took in a large canvas hung prominently against one wall, the drippy curves of paint crackling with abundant energy, layered upon one another in a seemingly slapdash way.

She squinted at the painting for a moment, understanding dawning slowly.

_Is that-_

"Mokuba-is that a Jackson Pollock?" she managed to sputter out, grabbing ahold of the younger man's arm and pointing towards the work on the wall.

Mokuba blushed hard at her question. "Ah-no, Ishizu- _I_ made that, in school… I'm studying art-and computer science and business, too-but Pollock is my  _favorite_  American painter-I-I can't believe you think that's a  _real_  one-"

Ishizu raised her eyebrows, a genuine grin sneaking onto her lips.  _Impressive._

_Both of the Kaiba brothers are precocious, then-_

"Do you want to continue painting after school, Mokuba?"

Mokuba's mouth twisted slightly, his smile flagging. "I mean-I'd  _love_  to be able to do that… but I have to be prepared to take over KaibaCorp-y'know, if something happened to Seto…"

Ishizu nodded in response, eyes looking pensive and understanding.

_It would seem as though you will have to deal with that responsibility sooner than you thought, Mokuba._

_And I am sorry for your sake-_

Mokuba's quarters were, as promised,  _cool._  Seto's younger brother had his own suite of rooms, consisting of a bedroom, still that of a teenager, with its canopy bed and posters littering the walls, sitting room, and- _-incredibly_ -his own gaming room. Tucked away in a dark, windowless room-every kind of arcade and video game Ishizu had ever fathomed existing.

And at the rear of the Manor, the lawn she'd seen from the window in the bedroom-stunning. Almost like a paradise. Stretching far into the horizon, the hedges that had seemed so small coming up to her waist. Endless green. Some modern-looking outdoor artworks here and there. By the grove of trees she'd glimpsed at the far end of the lawn, a crystal-clear pond with a flock of ducks nattering away.

It was dazzling.

But not enough to make her forget a thing.

She walked in step beside Mokuba across the lawn, the grass tickling her bare feet. Sun beating down on her face and neck. Warming her skin.

Mokuba had not stopped talking for the entire duration of the tour-providing descriptions of each room they entered, along with a story about some funny thing or other that had happened to him in said room or location-

"And  _then_ , when I was fifteen, I was having a sleepover with some friends, and we thought it would be  _really_   _funny_  if we brought some ducks from the duck pond into the house and let 'em loose, y'know? So we snuck out back here in the middle of the night, but the ducks freakin'  _attacked_  us when we tried to catch them-this one mallard almost bit off my  _hand_ , I _swear_ …" he chirped, gesturing wildly with his hands, continually looking at Ishizu's face to make sure she was still paying attention. He giggled, remembering Seto's reaction to the shenanigans he and his friends had tried to pull-Seto had groaned and rolled his eyes, the way he always did when Mokuba got into trouble, and had tried to take away television privileges for a week. Like  _that_  had worked…

Ishizu stopped in her tracks for a moment as the gentle breeze whipped her skirt around her legs. A sudden burst of clouds temporarily blocking the sun, making her shiver as Mokuba's voice turned into a meaningless hum in her ears.

_Nothing more than a cage-_

_A gilded, beautiful cage-_

_But still a cage._

"Miss Ishtar? You okay?" Mokuba's voice, concerned and slightly high-pitched, pierced through her thoughts.

She blinked once and sighed. Looked over at him. Tried to smile.

_What must it have been like for him to grow up with such a brother?_

His boundless enthusiasm reminded her of Marik-when her brother was a younger child, lavender eyes wide and full of cheer. Joy with the world around him.

She felt a prickling behind her eyes.  _Blast._

"I'm fine, Mokuba." She swallowed hard, feeling a tiny shudder to ripple through her. Her hands and feet suddenly numb. Cold, despite the return of the sun's warmth.

Mokuba walked back over to her, shoulders slumping slightly, and taking her hand in his. His gray eyes were almost level with hers. Heart pounding painfully in his chest as he saw the resignation in her unerring gaze. The sadness manifested there. A slight dullness.

_I don't understand my brother sometimes…_

_I know he can be cruel-_

_But keeping her here against her will-_

"Miss Ishtar-I-" Mokuba paused as he searched for the right words. Something that wouldn't mark him as naive. Out of touch.

_Cold-_

_-like Seto-_

"I-I know my big brother might-might  _seem_  like a bad person and all, but-but I  _promise_ , he's-he's  _good_  at heart-it's just that no one really  _sees_  it…" He chewed on his lower lip, watching her features carefully-already wondering if he'd spoken out of line. Said too much-

Ishizu's features turned masklike as she pressed her lips together.  _If only Seto were more like this-considerate. Welcoming. Kind._

"Mokuba, he's keeping me as his  _prisoner_. He threatened to harm my  _family_ -so forgive me if I don't hold him in such high esteem." She gently unwound her hand from his and clasped them before her. Standing up straight. Regally. As if nothing could touch her.

"Yeah. I know. I'm  _really_ sorry, Miss Ishtar-and I  _wish_  I could change his mind. But-you've probably figured this out already-but he doesn't change his mind easily…" Mokuba's voice cracked. He looked down at his feet, trying to stop his eyes from bubbling over.  _My brother-_

_Why-?_

Ishizu softened slightly. Lifted her hand to pat him on the head, tilting her head to one side as her fingers caught into a tiny snarl in his dark hair.

She felt almost like a sister again.

"Come, Mokuba-let's go back to the kitchen. I'm getting rather hungry…"

Mokuba sniffed again, then looked up to meet her gaze, his own eyes startling in their innocence. Their lack of guile.

Slipping his hand into hers, he broke out into a crooked grin. "Okay, Miss Ishtar!"

Ishizu allowed herself a small smile. "You can call me 'Ishizu', Mokuba."

* * *

 

The tumbling of the lock-

_Rap-rap-rap-_

_Six o'clock already-_

Ishizu switched off the television and eased herself out of the chair. Her hem was soaked through and stained with grass; as she walked over to the door, her bare feet left faint traces of green on the white carpet.

She pulled the door open; she was greeted by the violet eyes and inconceivably spiky hair of Yugi Moto, with another garment bag in tow, a pair of shiny black pumps hanging from his fingers.

The small man's eyes shone warmly at her; he bowed his head in greeting. "Good evening, Miss Ishtar-it's time for you to get ready."

Ishizu stepped aside to let him pass. "And Serenity and Miho?"

Yugi walked over to the bed and carefully laid out the garment bag, then placed the shoes on the carpet. "I gave them the day off-Mr. Kaiba had us working all night to make this dress…" Voice chipper as ever.

_Ah-yes. I forgot-Seto making them slave away-for a damned dress-_

She closed the door and chewed on the inside of her cheek, her stomach twisting tightly as she turned to face Yugi, heart feeling sluggishly thick in his chest. "Ah-I'm  _so sorry_  about that-"

Yugi shrugged his shoulders. "I  _really_  didn't mind, Miss Ishtar-after all, I don't get many opportunities to make such lovely clothing-and Mr. Kaiba really stressed the importance of tonight's event, so I was glad to be able to do it-and so quickly, too-"

He unzipped the garment bag and almost tenderly lifted the black lace concoction into his arms before handing it to Ishizu, who accepted it like she would accept a small child being placed into her arms-nervously. Gingerly. Anxiously.

"If you'll go into the bathroom and change, Miss Ishtar, then I can help you with your hair and makeup…"

Ishizu nodded and padded over to the bathroom. As she began to change, she heard Yugi's voice calling out:

" _Again_ , Miss Ishtar-if I'd had more time, I would have made you a  _masterpiece_ …"

Ishizu smiled wryly as she stepped into the dress, pulling the skirt over her legs and lifting up the bodice to cover her breasts. "You and your disclaimers, Yugi…"

* * *

 

Yugi tapped her on the nose with the soft brush playfully, then slid it alongside the other brushes in his makeup kit and fastened the velcro strap, holding them in place. "You're done, Miss Ishtar-and might I say, you look  _ravishing._ Stunning. You'll have the eye of  _every_  man on you tonight-"

He stopped, paled slightly. Realized the strange gravity of his own words.

_After all, Miss Ishtar is not here of her own volition- to imply that she would want the attentions of Mr. Kaiba-_

Ishizu lowered her eyes and gritted her teeth, keeping her breath even. Calm. Unflappable. Unruffled.  _Pretend he didn't say that-_

" _While your behavior was merely a surprise and an annoyance to me, it was_ quite  _inappropriate…"_

- _why am I thinking of him-?_

She shook her head as if to rid her mind of him, then lifted her eyes to her reflection.

Sucked in a sharp, cool breath at the vision before her.

 _A beautiful bird in a gilded cage_ -

The dress, made of black lace so fine that it appeared to be pure smoke, cut across her collarbone in a straight line, leaving her arms exposed, then flowed down to the floor, the waist cinched in by a shiny black ribbon, the skirt gliding over her form gently but not too tightly. The front and back of the dress was beaded-exquisitely so-in small clusters of glittering black.

Yugi had straightened her hair, run his fingers through it with styling gel, giving it a natural looking but perfectly managed wave, then let it loose about her shoulders. The same black eyeliner applied to her eyes. Lipstick of the same deep red as the previous night.

_-still a cage-_

* * *

 

Seto straightened his bowtie and ran a hand through his hair. Lifted elegant fingers to unlock the lock. Knocked on the door with the back of his hand.

From through the slender gap between the doorway and the door, he could hear Ishizu's and Yugi's voices. Murmuring quietly. Yugi's voice teasing. Chiding her for something.

Ishizu  _laughing_. Clear. Bell-like. Melodic. A splash of water.

Something tugged at him annoyingly, persistently as the sound grew louder.

The handle on the door turned abruptly; he caught a glimpse of Ishizu's face, features dewy and cheered, before her mouth flattened into an intractable line. Her eyes grew blank, her upper lip curling slightly as her eyes came to rest upon his face.

_Well, let's just get this over with, I suppose-_

"Good evening, Seto." Her voice bore no trace of the good humor it had contained only moments before. Simple politeness. Distance. Vague interest.

Seto inhaled shallowly as he took her in. Not quite as-well _-sinful-looking_  as the previous night, but still fetching nonetheless.

_As if Ishizu Ishtar could ever look anything but comely…_

"It's seven o'clock, Miss Ishtar. Are you ready?"

Ishizu nodded, studying Seto's face as he, in turn, looked at her, she in turn feeling every flicker of his eyes acutely against her skin. His eyes dropping to sweep over the front of her gown. Her waist. Then back up again. To her lips.

_Is he blushing…?_

Her mouth tasted bitter at the thought as she lowered her eyes to the floor demurely. To his black dress shoes, perfectly shined.

Still she felt his intent gaze. Creeping over her. Brushing along her shining hair.

Resolve settled in her bones.

_Tonight I'm playing vinegar._

_Ice._

_Make him want it._

_I will play the long game with you, Seto Kaiba._

_And I will win._

* * *

 

His hand pressing against the small of her back. Sure and steady. Blessedly not wandering. Lips at her ear. She, smiling as if she had a secret, for the benefit of the screaming photographers. Him guiding her through a massive set of doors. Another hotel. Another night. Another masquerade.

* * *

 

"And this is my date, Miss Ishizu Ishtar…" Seto's face bore a typical smirk as Ziegfried lifted Ishizu's hand to his lips, Ishizu smiling placidly as she accepted the gesture, Seto's hand still at her back. The heel of his palm almost digging into her spine.

"Ah! A pleasure, Miss Ishtar…" Ziegfried replied in heavily accented Japanese. He straightened and extended his hand to Seto, who shook it. " _Du hast eine sehr schöne Frau gefunden, Seto… wenn du nicht vorsichtig bist, könnte jemand sie stehlen…_ "

_You have found a very beautiful woman, Seto… if you are not careful, someone could steal her…_

Seto laughed, a low, husky sound. As Ishizu turned to her head to look at him, eyes round with confusion, he responded easily. " _Und denkst du, dass du dieser Mann bist?_ "

_And you think that you are this man?_

Ziegfried's smile grew wide. " _Vielleicht._ "

_Maybe._

The pink-haired man's gaze alighted upon another guest behind the pair; bowing his head, he continued, "it was good to see you again, Seto Kaiba. Lovely to meet you as well, Miss Ishtar." Then he was gone. Swallowed by the throng of expensively dressed partygoers.

Seto rolled his eyes and pressed his hand against her back again, leading her out of the center of the room as Ishizu asked, a hint of irritation crawling into her voice, "and what was that about, Seto?"

"Ziegfried is a ridiculous man, Ishizu."  _And let's leave his insane jealousy of me at that, shall we-_

Ishizu looked at him hard for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, if you don't require me to stand around and smile for the time being, I'm going to get some champagne. Would you like any?"  _This is going to be a long night-_

Perhaps a bit too much sourness in her tone, for Seto bristled in response. "No, thank you, Ishizu. Though I would advise you to please  _try_ to restrain yourself tonight…" His voice bored. Arrogant. Superior.

_Please do not try to seduce me again-_

Ishizu deliberately lowered her gaze to the floor, raising her arm to scratch at her elbow in a show of embarrassment. "I-I  _am_  sorry about that, Seto-I promise it won't happen again."

"Nn." Seto crossed his arms and waited as Ishizu made her away across the lavishly carpeted floor of the ballroom, staring up at the array of intricate chandeliers in wonder. The velvet fabric hanging off the walls, the couples swirling about on the dance floor, the suited and tuxedoed businessmen standing in groups, no doubt with vast sums of money slipping from their lips-it was all very elaborate. Overflowing with wealth. The aura of sophistication, if not the substance.

And she would never belong. Not in this capacity.

_I suppose it's all good practice for when I am hired for my first museum job-_

Then she would be able to navigate this world on her own terms.

_Not as someone's prisoner._

She reached the drinks table with its heavy white tablecloth, rows and rows of gold-dipped champagne flutes extending as far as she could see. Selecting a full glass of the honey-colored liquid, she turned her back to the table and surveyed the room, lifting the flute to her lips.

The sweet liquid was refreshing. Almost calming. Softening her limbs, the rigid arrangement of her features. Flow.

She took another sip before she caught a glimpse of Seto from across the room. Still waiting for her. Arms still crossed. Eyes searching for her. Subtly. Piercingly.

Ruthlessly.

Their eyes met; she felt trapped once again.

Letting out a soft sigh of resignation, she took another sip of champagne and began to make her way back to her captor, bobbing and weaving gracefully to avoid running into the various clusters of guests, all looking perfectly comfortable-like they belonged in this lavish place-

And then she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Miss Ishtar…"

She stiffened reflexively, a shudder of alarm running through her body.  _Who-_

Swallowing the surprise bubbling within, she pasted a gentle smile on her face and turned to face the bearer of the errant hand. "Y-yes?"

_Ziegfried…_

The pink-haired man in the rather ostentatious mauve suit bowed his head, his eyes wolfish and twinkling. "I was wondering if I might trouble you for a dance?"

Ishizu's mouth went dry.

 _That bastard_ -

Seto pressed his lips together in a thin line as he saw the host of the party accost his date.  _His._  Wave away her muted protests with a fluttery gesture of the hand. Pluck the half-full champagne flute from her fingers and smoothly place it upon the tray of a passing waiter. Run his hand along her bare arm to grasp at her hand. Lead her, ignoring Ishizu's clear discomfort, onto the dance floor, where several couples made way for the evening's host and his rather alarmed dance partner.

Put his hand on her waist _-how dare he-_ as he began to guide her around and around in a waltz; Ishizu merely following, gliding smoothly; as the couple turned, Seto caught glimpses of her face-perfectly blank. Serene. Neutral.

Nothing like the light he'd briefly seen shining in her eyes-

-before he'd opened the door to her room-

-seen that fragile light die-

Seto wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt acutely- _irrationally_ -angry with Ziegfried. Bile twisted in his stomach, his chest suddenly filling with searing heat. Crackling. Flickering painfully- _incessantly_ -

Before he was fully cognizant of what he was doing, he found himself scowling. Legs moving. Cutting indifferently-rudely-through various strands of partygoers, prompting offended glances and responses. Long strides toward the dance floor.

"So, Miss Ishtar-how long have you and my dear friend Seto been seeing one another?" Ziegfried cooed, his hand pressing insistently against her waist, her hand sealed within his firm grasp as she gripped onto his shoulder, hanging on for dear life as he swung her around and around.  _Gods preserve me-_

Before she could pretend to smile innocently, give the answer she'd miraculously been able to conjure up the previous night, Ziegfried continued speaking, his heavy accent containing a trace of something murky and dark. "You know, Seto and I have been acquainted for several years now-you might even say I taught him a few things about technology-"

" _Ahem._ "

For the first time in her life, Ishizu was … _relieved_  to hear that husky drawl.

_Better the devil I know than the one I don't, I suppose-_

"May I cut in?" Seto's voice made it clear that it wasn't exactly a question.

A flash of something unreadable in Ziegfried's eyes. "Ah, of course, Seto-I was just telling your  _delectable_  date-"

"Oh, I  _know_  what you were trying to  _do_ , Ziegfried." Smirking in quiet victory as Ziegfried dropped his hands from Ishizu. She took a sharp, short, subtle breath as the pink-haired man bowed low before her.

"Well, Miss Ishtar-perhaps another time-"

"Of course, Mr. von Schroeder," she demurred, bowing her head politely.  _Like hell._

As their host rebuttoned his suit jacket in a rather dramatic fashion, turned on his high-heeled boot and left, Ishizu allowed herself a moment of respite. The muscles in her back unclenching, her jaw loosening its tightly wound tension.  _That strange man_ -

As the music swelled back up again, she heard Seto's voice in her ears. Low. A question.

"Would you care to dance, Ishizu…?"

Ishizu bit the inside of her cheek and looked up at Seto, her eyes searching his own. Looking for that trace of guile. Of ice. Studying his slightly flushed cheeks. Noting the repeated swallowing of his throat, the slight bouncing of his chin. Him licking his lips quickly, then once more as if he hadn't succeeded properly the first time-

_Almost as if he is-_

_-nervous?_

She bit back a whoop of triumph as she replied, voice subdued. Gentle. Nearly shy. A delicate brush, painting only pastel colors. "O-of course, Seto."

_Let's see how he reacts-_

His expression softened for the barest instant; Ishizu could have sworn she dreamt the shift as Seto's face quickly became unreadable once more. He smoothly moved his hand to her waist as she lifted her hand to his shoulder; his free hand grasped her own lightly as he began to lead them around the dance floor.

She was  _so_  close.  _So close._  Close enough for him to smell the fine, flowery perfume Yugi had bought her-close enough to see the slight crinkle in her forehead as she focused on the steps-the twitch of her eyebrow as their legs knocked together unintentionally-close enough to  _feel_  the breath she took as he guided her carefully. Gingerly. As if he were holding the most delicate glass in his hands.

-as if they were the only two people in the room-

He almost felt ill.

As Seto stared hard above her head, clearly focused on the dance-on the  _nearness_  of her, Ishizu, nearly pressed against his chest where he couldn't see, permitted herself a small smile.  _His heart-_

_His pulse-_

_They're racing._

_You're such an easy mark, Seto Kaiba…_

* * *

 

She'd almost grown used to the endless crowd-screaming-clamoring-for their attention as Seto led her back to the limousine. He opened the door, allowing her to slide in, pulling her skirts around her as Seto climbed in after her and shut the door. Shutting out the noise. The night. Sealing them inside.

Ishizu leaned back against the seat, allowing herself to melt into the plush leather, as she turned her head to look out the tinted window, as if the fleeting city streets were of utmost interest to her. Streetlights glowing amber-some stragglers making their way along the sidewalks-going places she could never fathom-

All of them freer than she.

Her expression hardened slightly as she folded her hands in her lap.

_Vinegar._

_Ice._

_A stone._

_Make him want it._

Seto crossed his legs as his gaze flitted over to her. Illuminated by moonlight streaming in through the backseat window, her dark hair flowing about her shoulders, the beads on her dress shimmering in the faded, thin light-

He couldn't resist dropping his gaze to her hands. The long fingers. Short, practical fingernails, painted a clear color. Clasped casually across her thighs. A thin layer of lace separating flesh from flesh. Her waist, demarcated attractively by that stretch of shiny ribbon-eyes trailing upward-

 _I will_ not  _go down this road, dammit-_

 _It is highly inappropriate for me to even_ look  _at her this way-_

 _-let alone_ think  _of her in such a way-_

He clenched his fists, nails digging in almost deep enough to draw blood, as he dragged his gaze to look out his own window.

As Roland pulled up in front of Kaiba Manor, Ishizu opened her door, ducked out of the vehicle, and walked around the back of the car, her gaze meeting Seto's as he climbed out of the limousine and shut his door behind him.

Then it was through the double doors of the house, past the thick white columns of the façade, the red-and-white brick, as he led her through the endless maze of hallways and staircases until they reached the room.

She would never refer to it as  _hers-_

His slender fingers unlocking the lock. Looking down at her, eyes suddenly bright. Strange in the dim lighting of the hallway-

Almost  _expectant_ -

"Thank you."

And as Ishizu picked up her skirts and crossed the threshold into the bedroom, pulling the door closed behind her, she allowed herself a smirk.

_Lay the bait-_

Seto stood there for a moment, looking at the door, words struggling to crawl out of his throat and drop from his lips.

_Well, at least she didn't try to seduce me again…_

_-right?-_

As he made his way back to his quarters, loosening his bowtie with careless, impatient fingers, his palms began to itch.

As if they remembered the feel of her hand-of her back-and missed them sorely.

Seto gulped as he stuffed his bowtie in his pants pocket, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt for good measure.

_Those eyes-_

_Last night-_

Her intoxicated- _intoxicating_ -stare as she untied his tie… her trembling lips as she scooted closer-moving her hands to grasp at his shoulders-

-nearly making him forget himself-

Without fully realizing it, he found himself, instead of completing the journey to his chambers in the adjacent wing of the Manor, taking the steps ever downward. To where the moonlight no longer shimmered in through the windows and the warm yellow artificial lamplight was king. To the basement. To the control room.

Where the monitors were-

_Why do I feel the need to look at her again-_

_-in this way-_

He swallowed hard as he submitted once more to the retinal scan. The door peeling open. Joseph's unkempt blond hair greeted him, his feet on the desk much like Tristan's had been that morning. Seto sighed to himself as he announced his presence. "Good evening, Mr. Wheeler…"  _I do hope he hasn't been sleeping on the job-_

"Good evening, Mr. Kaiba-" The bulky blond quickly adjusted himself in the swivel chair as Seto entered the room and stood behind him, eyes doing a perfunctory sweep of the various cameras-the two surveying the front yard, the two tracking the back, the one installed above the door to his quarters, and the one planted by the security apparatus outside his personal study…

And the recently added seventh camera, installed in Ishizu's room.

Ishizu slipped off her heels and laid them out carefully by the foot of the bed. Trying to hide the sudden shallowness of her breathing. Her hesitation. Trepidation at the idea swirling around in her mind.

Her thick, sluggish disgust at what she had to do-would have-to do to earn her revenge-

But  _oh_ , how  _sweet_  it would be-

_To see him suffer for the threats he made against my family._

_And now for the trap-_

Lifting her arms above her head as if to stretch, she turned and walked away from the bed. Towards the center of the room.

Right in full view of the camera.

And, smiling inwardly, she began to unfasten the buttons to her dress.

Seto and Joseph both gave a start at the same time at the image on the seventh screen. "Uh-Mr. Kaiba-is  _she_ -"

_Stripping-_

_-in front of the camera-_

Seto's jaw nearly hit his chest, hands beginning to shake ever-so-slightly as Ishizu slipped out of the gown. Head and eyes lowered, as if she weren't particularly thinking about anything-in her own little world. Letting the magnificent garment drop to the floor, where it pooled around her feet.

The moonlight trickling in through the window illuminating her-gliding across her form-

She brushed her hair over her shoulders, moving the well-maintained waves to fall down her back. Straightened her posture, then rolled her shoulders back, allowing her back to form a graceful arch, before she rolled her neck clockwise, then counterclockwise. Lowering her lids halfway. That sleepily seductive look imbuing her features with imagined want.

_I-I ought to turn off the monitor-give her some-some privacy-_

Seto's lower lip was almost bleeding from how much, and how roughly, he'd been gnawing on it for the past few seconds.

_I-I ought to-_

Yet the words-the order to Joseph-wouldn't come out-

He could only continue to stare, transfixed-

Ishizu, very deliberately putting on a show of absent-mindedness, turned to face away from the camera. A slight, purposely unconscious-looking sway in her hips.

_Checkmate, Seto Kaiba._

And then she grinned broadly, almost ferally, knowing no one could see her face, and tugged her panties down her legs.

Seto Kaiba was not the fainting type.

Yet he felt impossibly light-headed-confused-dare he say it- _aroused_ at the sight before him-

- _she's-_

_-naked-_

_I'm going to hell, aren't I-_

Sleep would clearly evade him tonight.


	4. Pink Rose

_It's amazing how quickly time passes._

_And how slowly, too-_

So thought Ishizu as her eyes fluttered open. Another night of dreamless sleep. After so many-she had come to accept it as a matter of fact. Already there was a slight dent in the pillow from where she had lain for the past week.

_I've been here for a week-_

_A week-_

A week of the tumbling lock and Seto's firm, insistent knocking on her door being the first sounds she heard each morning.

A week of remembering all over again each and every day that she was a prisoner in this palace.

A week of Seto with a tray in his arms, standing on the other side of the threshold-a week of his cheeks pinking slightly as she opened the door and looked up at him, frizzy bedhead notwithstanding.

A week of Seto drinking his coffee, his eyes moving over her nightgowned form like tentative hands. A week of smiling gently at him as if she hadn't noticed. Shyly. Acquiescing. Looking at the floor when appropriate. A week of supplication. A week of his voice, haughty and bored, announcing the evening's event.

A week of intermittent Mokuba. His impish grin and impossibly good cheer managing to make her forget, if only for a moment at a time, her state. A week of walks across the lawn and around the hedges, sun beating down. Taunting her. A week of lunches on the patio. A week of picnics by the duck pond.

A week of parties and dinners. A week of Yugi arriving each evening at precisely six o'clock, a new dress in a garment bag, occasionally accompanied by Serenity or Miho or both. A week of not recognizing herself in the mirror. A week of that surge of cruel pride she felt when Seto first saw her in the night's dress at precisely seven o'clock. A week of him looking like he wanted to push her up against a wall and have her.  _Desperately._  A week of his mouth twisting as he denied himself.

A week of paparazzi, Seto's hand firmly at the small of her back. Never letting her forget their positions. Hers. His. Hers as his.

A week of smiling perfunctorily at Seto's work associates. A week of having her hand kissed by older men. A week of bubbly, hollow laughter as she relayed the story of how she and Seto met. A week of swallowing the lie down like a bitter tonic. A week of fine wines and hors d'oeuvres and foods she could not begin to pronounce.

A week of limousine rides and ignoring Seto in the backseat. A week of feeling that heated thrill of victory as she felt Seto struggle with himself, his fingers drumming incessantly on the seat between them,  _dying_  to touch her. His baser urges being suppressed by the one small part of him that valued honesty and goodness-she supposed.

A week of him eyeing her as they stood outside the door to the bedroom where he was keeping her.

A week of shedding her clothes, slowly and sensuously, before the hidden camera each night. Knowing that if he wasn't watching live, that he would see it anyway. See her. Her body. Lush. Bared. Bared for him.

A week of the game. Her skillful playing of it more and more evident each time he looked at her. The suddenly habitual hunger in his eyes. The quivering of his lips.

A week of Seto treading closer and closer into oblivion with every step towards her he took.

_It's amazing how time passes._

At the familiar sounds of Seto outside her door, Ishizu groaned softly and eased herself out of the bed, running her fingers through her hair, sliding the strap of the nightgown off of her shoulder carelessly as she padded across the thick white carpeting, now slightly mucked up with forgotten green grass stains.

As usual, he bore a tray. A croissant on a china plate, smelling freshly baked. A pot she supposed had butter in it. And the ever-present pitcher of coffee.

"Good morning, Miss Ishtar." His voice a drawl. Casual.

As if he weren't  _aching_  for her-

_Can she tell-?_

"Good morning, Seto." She stepped aside to allow him to place the tray upon the coffee table, shutting the door behind him. Taking him in for a moment. The slender, suited frame. Dark hair framing those intense eyes-eyes that took pride in seeing and observing and recording all. His elegant bearing. His ever-present smirk.

_-that occasional smile-_

Something like a sickness twisted through her as she approached the table.

Seto poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down, crossing his legs. Ishizu bent over, her hair spilling around her shoulders-Seto taking in the drooping nightgown strap- _the flesh it pressed against_ -and lifted the lid of the pot.

_Chocolate…?_

Carefully she poured a thin drizzle over the croissant before replacing the pot back onto the tray, taking the plate with the pastry in hand, sitting down in the chair opposite Seto and crossing her legs at the ankle.

She arranged her features into something pleasant and serene as she took a bite of the croissant, almost unable to resist a smile at the sweet flavor of the melted chocolate complimenting the buttery, airy confection.

Seto's eyes softened as he watched her eat the pastry with apparent gusto. "I've noticed during our dinners that you seem fairly partial to chocolate, Miss Ishtar…"

_The bastard won't stop staring at me-I'm not surprised-_

Ishizu nodded blithely, placing the now-empty plate back onto the tray beside the tiny pot. In a burst of inspiration, she sucked a last bit of chocolate off her index finger innocently, allowing her eyes to blink shut as she called forth a faint, almost subconscious groan from deep within her chest.

Seto nearly had a heart attack. Struggling frantically to hide his acute discomfort-to not lose his composure-he pressed his lips together briefly-not going unnoticed by Ishizu, of course-before taking another sip of coffee.  _I cannot be thinking of this now-it's seven in the goddamn morning-_

_Although it's not appropriate for me to be thinking along these lines in any case…_

After Ishizu's little stunt with the camera, as unconscious as it was, Seto had been-

-well-

- _distracted._  To say the least.

The distraction growing disturbingly quickly over the previous week. Roaring its head wildly, heat searing and sparking within him every time he looked at her. Heard her voice. Thought of her.

And despite his sincerest, best efforts-

-think of her often he had.

-In increasingly compromising ways.

Ishizu smiled inwardly at his apparent vexation, allowing her voice to come out quietly and sweetly, face neutral. "Thank you, Seto. You're right-I  _do_  like chocolate."

_Evidently she does-_

He cleared his throat and adjusted himself in the chair. "Now, Ishizu, you've been  _quite_  well-behaved during our acquaintance, save for your  _aberrant_  actions in the limousine after the dinner with Pegasus-"  _Perhaps I should not be bringing this up so often-perhaps she is still embarrassed-_

_-perhaps it makes it seem as if I have been dwelling on those moments an undue amount-_

It would be a lie were he to say he had not been doing just that. Every night. Repeatedly and in rapid succession.

Ishizu merely folded her hands in her lap and waited for him to continue.

"-now, as I was saying-you've been exemplary during our evening affairs and have managed to not cause me any problems…"

Her eyes widened. Brightened suddenly. Mouth falling open, lips parting. A repressed breath escaping.

_Could it be-is he going to let me speak with my brothers-?_

Seto took note of the change in her expression. "Therefore, I have decided that you will be permitted to roam the house and grounds as you please. You will have access to the library, the kitchen, anywhere-save, of course, my personal study and quarters. That's a given."

Ishizu's shoulders sagged slightly-imperceptibly.  _I see…_

Quickly, she quirked her lips up in a smile of gratitude, bowing her head. "Thank you, Seto-I hope to prove that I will be less trouble for you-um…"  _I have to try harder. Play the game better. Then-perhaps-he'll let me call my brothers on his blasted phone._

Seto nodded curtly, choosing not to dwell overmuch on her thanks. That was that. Onto further business. "Additionally, Miss Ishtar, you will have the evening free tonight-I have to take a trip to Tokyo today and will be spending the night and following day there."

_Thank god I have the chance to get away-clear my head of this damned sickness-_

_Ah. That's why-he wouldn't be able to listen in on the call if he's not at the Manor-_

"I see." Placid. Calm. The surface of a lake. She smoothed her skirt over her knees as she regarded him with large eyes. Felt him looking at her again. Subtly, as if she wouldn't notice his gaze trailing down her neck-across the delicate frame of her collarbone-then back up, fixating on her lips…

She licked her lips as he watched. Her eyes still round, gazing at him as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Knowing she looked fairly cute right then, even with the bedhead.

Then-

She found herself noticing-

-him. Again. Strangely. Noticing him noticing her. The way his eyelashes framed his intent gaze-the line of his jaw as he exhaled-

_I must be coming down with something. This man-_

_-he threatened my family and took me as his prisoner-_

_Why should it matter whether he is-_

_-attractive…?_

She swallowed hard, feeling slightly nauseated. Not daring to entertain that strand of thought any further. "I-is that everything for today, Seto?"

Seto blinked several times, snapping out of a brief reverie involving Ishizu's lips. "Y-yes. I shall see you in two days, at seven o'clock as per usual. I assume you won't be any trouble-I've instructed Solomon and Téa not to let you anywhere near the liquor cabinet…" Trying for a light dose of humor.

Ishizu bit her lip and ducked her head in slightly embarrassed acknowledgement of his remark-the proper response.

His face then turned stony, mouth a thin, hard line. "If I find that you have misbehaved in any way while I'm gone, Miss Ishtar, I will be revoking the privileges I just gave you. Do you have any questions?"

_Would you rather I strangle you or smother you in your sleep?_

"No-I don't think so, Seto." Demure. Accepting. Looking down at her hands. Making sure she wasn't clenching them into fists.

Seto nodded in response, leaned forward and picked up the tray before rising to his feet.

"I trust you'll find  _some_  way to entertain yourself today, Miss Ishtar…"

The door closing.

Ishizu held her breath as she heard his footsteps grow quieter and quieter.

- _no lock-_

She nearly felt giddy as she stood up and walked over to the dresser, the slightest of bounces in her step as she pulled open drawers, withdrawing a simple tea-length teal dress and undergarments.

_Of course-that is the mentality of the prisoner-basic decency is mistaken for kindness-_

_I would do well to remember that-_

She walked across the carpeted floor, suddenly feeling the plushness between her toes as if for the first time, towards the bathroom, the clothes in her arms suddenly heavy.

* * *

 

_Now which way was Mokuba's room again?_

She felt slightly silly, as though she ought to have kept a hand on one wall to help her keep track of her path throughout this maze of a house. Or held a ball of yarn, like the one Ariadne gave Theseus to guide him through the labyrinth. Unwinding slowly. The lurking Minotaur ever a threat.

"Miss Ishtar?" A melodic female voice calling to her from behind, breaking her concentration. A shadow falling before her on the wood floor.

Ishizu curled her lips into a sweet smile, eyes wide with confusion, as she turned to face Téa Gardner. The tall, attractive woman-she couldn't have been older than thirty-was dressed prettily in a pale pink button-down shirtdress, held in with a belt bearing the logo of the Kaiba Corporation. Sensible canvas shoes completed the outfit.

Thinking back to Téa's outfit when they'd first been introduced, Ishizu couldn't help but wonder if Seto insisted that his employees always wear some type of KaibaCorp merchandise-or if his employees simply chose to wear a sort of uniform around the house-

_Always a reminder of who employs them-who owns them-_

"Ah, hello, Miss Gardner-" Ishizu bowed her head, almost feeling as if she should curtsey.

"Can I help you with something? You seem rather lost…" Téa's blue eyes were round with concern, but not with surprise- _he must have told her about my privileges-_

Ishizu bit her lip, releasing a slight giggle, lifting her hand to cover her mouth girlishly. "Ah-yes, as a matter of fact. I was  _trying_  to find Mokuba's room to see if he wanted to have lunch and go for a walk on the grounds today, but-I don't  _exactly_  know where I am…"

Téa grinned, reaching out her arm and patting Ishizu on the shoulder. "In that case, Miss Ishtar, you've gotten yourself  _quite_  turned around. Why, you're not even on the correct floor to find his room-and, besides, Mokuba's not in today. He went out to spend some time with some high school friends, if I'm not mistaken…" She slid her hand down to grasp at Ishizu's, features suddenly becoming grave. "As a matter of fact, Miss Ishtar, I'd advise you to follow me-you're actually quite close to Mr. Kaiba's personal study, and  _believe me_ , you  _don't_ want to trigger that alarm-not if you want to keep your privileges-"

_His personal study-_

_-where, no doubt, the dealings of his business-_

_-I need to get in there. Somehow-_

"I see." Ishizu grinned crookedly, putting on a show of embarrassment as Téa led her back down the hallway where she'd come, Ishizu desperately trying to take in as many landmarks as she could-perhaps if she could keep track of the way Téa was leading her-but to  _where_? To what starting point that Ishizu could memorize, then reverse-engineer?

_And there's a blasted alarm as well-of course-_

"Miss Gardner, where are you taking me, if you don't mind?" Ishizu kept her voice light as she struggled to keep up with the other woman's long-legged strides.

"Well, I figured I would lead you back to your room-is there somewhere else you'd like me to take you?" Téa stopped in her tracks and regarded Ishizu thoughtfully.

_It's not my room-never will be my room-_

Ishizu pressed her lips together while she thought quickly. "Well-Miss Gardner-I was just thinking-since Mokuba's out and I don't really have much I can do-could I possibly help you with your morning duties? I feel a bit silly having all of you take care of me and me not being able to-to pitch in…" She hoped she didn't sound as ridiculous-seem as much as of kiss-up-as she felt.

_Perhaps if I can get her to like me-_

_-what sort of leverage could_ that  _give me-_

Téa cocked her head to the side, her face breaking out in a beaming grin. "Of course, Miss Ishtar-I mean, it's not particularly  _fascinating_ work, but I assure you-it's quite important to the running of the household…"

Ishizu matched her bright smile, her cheek muscles only straining slightly from the protracted effort. "That would be wonderful-I don't have much experience with that sort of thing, being a student and all…"

Téa nodded in understanding and began to lead her down another hallway, then down a set of stairs Ishizu vaguely recognized from her tour of the house with Mokuba-or perhaps it was another staircase entirely-Ishizu's head began to throb from trying to keep all these rooms and corridors and stairways straight-

"In about ten minutes-at eight-thirty, that is-I assemble the household staff and give them their orders and directions for the day. Then, while they're all beginning to do their jobs, I do a general sweep of each floor, checking in on each room and making note of particular things to be attended to-things like-say, if Mokuba happened to throw a party the previous night and his quarters are particularly messy-"

"Does that happen often?" Ishizu pictured the younger Kaiba, surrounded by friends, rampaging through the Manor as Seto stood watching, leaning against a wall, arms crossed, face sour-she bit back a smirk as Téa responded, a hint of humor in her voice,

"Not  _that_  often, but enough to give Mr. Kaiba  _quite_  a headache…"

"I see."

"Then we all break for lunch at noon until one-we have lunch brought out to the outdoor security guards-followed by an hour of leisure time for the staff-excepting the security, who switches rotations at that time-then back to work until four o'clock, when everyone is excused, save for the core staff-myself, Solomon, Yugi, Tristan, Joseph, and the rest of the security team."

_A leisure hour?_

_-I wouldn't have thought Seto to be one to-_

Téa gently tugged on her arm, disrupting her muddled thoughts, and led her to the main foyer of the house, where about twenty people or so had congregated into a line. Among the various faces Ishizu picked out Tristan and Joseph, the large, burly security guards, standing silently with their arms crossed-Roland, still wearing his sunglasses indoors-Miho and Serenity, chatting quietly, Miho whispering softly into Serenity's ear-Solomon, looking at his fingernails, his apron crisp and white-and Yugi, whose face lit up when he spotted her, hand popping up in a little wave, which Ishizu returned, feeling a warmth in her chest despite herself.

Téa motioned for Ishizu to stand at the side of the room; she then clapped her hands twice, the sound echoing throughout the high-ceilinged room.

Ishizu started at the noise; the staff snapped to attention, hands folded before them.

Téa walked in front of the line and turned to face the staff, withdrawing a small device from her dress pocket and scrolling along the screen with her thumb. "Good morning, everyone!" Her voice authoritative but friendly.

The members of the line all murmured their own greetings.

Téa studied the screen in her hand. "Now, before I assign you all to your position and duties, I have a few updates for the day. First off, Seto is on a trip to Tokyo today and will be returning the day after next. Secondly, Mokuba is going to be out today until roughly-I'd say-ten o'clock tonight."

The staff members nodded, a few of them reaching for their own devices to program the information in for future reference.

Téa's cheeks flushed slightly, her voice coming out tinged with joy as she continued. "And, lastly, I've been told today by Mr. Kaiba that our guest, Miss Ishtar-" she gestured to her side; all eyes snapped to Ishizu, who felt a flutter of nervousness and foolishness in her stomach as she waved her fingers at the staff gently- "has been extended the privilege to move about the house as she wishes. That also includes the grounds."

At this announcement, Yugi broke into an even wider smile, violet eyes shining. Solomon's grizzled features looked pleased. Serenity and Miho both wore twin expressions of happy astonishment-

-and Ishizu could  _swear_  she saw a flashing  _twinkle_ in Tristan's and Joseph's eyes-

Téa continued, voice ringing with good cheer. "So, if you happen to see her around, you don't need to contact security. Got it?"

The staff members all nodded.

"Now, for the cleaning staff?"

A group of young women-seemingly around Ishizu's age-in simple dresses, the KaibaCorp logo featured prominently on their shoulders, raised their hands and stepped forward.

Téa consulted her device. "For the morning rotation, you're going to be cleaning the rooms on the first and second floors-that, of course, does  _not_ include Mr. Kaiba's personal study, in case any of you have forgotten…"

Ishizu chewed on the inside of her cheek.  _So not even the staff is allowed in Seto's study-I wonder who_ is  _allowed-_

_-and how can I be among their number?_

"That's all; you may go." Téa continued to scroll on her screen with her thumb as the cleaning staff bowed their heads and exited the room through a door Ishizu hadn't before noticed.

"Outside staff?" A few men in overalls and thick straw hats, their knees stained with green and brown, stepped forward.

"Same routine as always. You may go." The outside staff bowed their heads and took their leave.

"Now, Yugi, I assume you and your assistants have something to work on?" Téa's voice grew slightly softer as she spoke to the spiky-haired tailor-stylist as the short man stepped forward; Ishizu's ears pricked up at the change in her tone; she noticed a slight blush on Yugi's cheeks as he presented himself.

"Yes, Té-Miss Gardner," Yugi began, voice stumbling over her name, recovering quickly. "I wanted to make a few adjustments to some of Ishizu's gowns-if that's all right with her, that is-" His eyes flickered over to where Ishizu stood at the side of the room; Ishizu ducked her head to indicate that she didn't mind.  _Although they were all lovely before-_

Yugi cleared his throat and continued. "Additionally, I have some staff uniforms that need a bit of patching up."

Téa nodded, pressing a few buttons on her device. "All right, Yugi, that sounds great. You may go."

Yugi's eyes shone at Téa for several almost imperceptible moments before he and his assistants bowed their heads and took their leave; Ishizu could have  _sworn_  she saw Téa's eyes linger on Yugi's form for just a  _few_  seconds too many to be completely polite as he and his assistants exited the room.

_Hm. Seems our good chief of housekeeping has a bit of a crush-_

Something like warmth bloomed in her chest quietly as she watched Téa give Solomon, Tristan and Joseph their instructions for the day. Téa then turned to face Ishizu, tucking a strand of short brown hair behind her ear as she placed her device back into her pocket. "Would you like to accompany me for a while?"

"Of course, Miss Gardner."

Ishizu smiled inwardly, feeling slightly wicked as she and Téa walked through the corridors of the Manor, Téa taking copious notes on her device.

"So-Miss Gardner-"

"Yes, Miss Ishtar?" Her voice friendly-her default, it seemed. Slightly distracted.  _Things on her mind…_

"I-I noticed-well, essentially-how long have you had a thing for Yugi?" Impish. Puckish, even.

Téa's face went beet red, eyes growing slightly glassy as she stammered uselessly, "why-why, Miss Ishtar-that's-that's making  _quite_  the assumption there, now, i-isn't it…"

Ishizu patted her on the shoulder somewhat patronizingly as the older woman fumbled with her device, an exercise in futility, trying to bury her nose in her screen.

"Well then, Miss Gardner, if you don't mind my saying so, perhaps you'd do better not to-pardon my French-openly stare at his  _ass_  during the morning assignments…"

* * *

 

The pair of them walked down another staircase and into another sitting room-one Ishizu remembered, for she recognized Mokuba's extraordinary Pollock-esque painting on the wall, the drippings and splashes of paint resonating within her.

As Ishizu stood in the doorway, watching Téa walk throughout the room, ducking to check under the table, the chairs, swiping her finger along the top of the cabinet to check for dust, she found herself asking:

"What's it like-working for him?"

_Working for Seto Kaiba-the most ruthless man I've ever met-_

_-that ridiculously_ confusing  _man-_

"Ah."

Téa paused; Ishizu saw the muscles in her back tense up slightly before the brunette turned around to face her. Something strange and sad imbuing her features as she approached where Ishizu was standing. Forehead wrinkled with concern.

"I understand you don't have a favorable opinion of him, Miss Ishtar. And I  _completely_  understand why. His actions towards you have been nothing short of inappropriate and cruel-if he were to so much as  _touch_  you he'd have a riot on his hands…"  _With Yugi as the leader-_

Ishizu waited, heart in her throat, for the inevitable caveat.  _I guess there's going to be a riot, then-_

"As far as  _my_  life and  _my_  experiences are concerned, however-he's not- _well_ -he's been nothing but kind to me during my employment here-and he didn't  _have_  to hire me and have me trained to run his household, either…"

_He hired me when I had nothing-when I was just a waitress in a crappy apartment-_

Ishizu half-jokingly looked around the room for a hidden camera as Téa bit her lip, catching her meaning. "And I'm not saying this because I am being forced to, Miss Ishtar-though, of course, that  _is_  what one would say under coercion-so, really-"

Ishizu folded her hands in front of her, eyes narrowing to prevent  _something_ unbearably bitter from spilling out. Pressing her mouth into a thin line, finding it increasingly difficult to meet the other woman's concerned gaze, she looked hard instead at Téa's sensible shoes.

"He's an incredibly difficult man. Judgemental. Proud. Arrogant. Unsatisfied. Angry. But-I promise you-he's not  _all_  awful-I know it's difficult for you to believe me. But I can't help thinking-from what I know of  _you_ , that is-perhaps, had you two met under different circumstances…"  _Perhaps the two of you could have been friends._

Ishizu swallowed hard. Felt bile rise up in her chest. Spoke deliberately, trying to hide the wobble in her voice. "I don't believe you."

Téa hung her head. "I know."

Ishizu hated her in that moment.

_For Mokuba to believe in him is one thing._

_But for Téa_   _to speak well of him-_

_-I wonder if I'm the only one in this house he's decided to be cruel to-_

The thought rendered her hollow.

_Before I kill him-_

_-before I destroy him-_

_-I'll make him beg for his life._   _Suffer. The way he's made me suffer. Made my family suffer._

_I will spare nothing._

Téa studied her face carefully. "I'm sorry, Miss Ishtar. I assumed you wanted the truth."

Ishizu nodded, struggling to hide the shudder running through her body.  _Calm. Serene. Untouchable-_

"I thank you for that, Miss Gardner." She sniffed, wiping her nose on her sleeve as Téa reached into her pocket and offered her a handkerchief. Ishizu tried not to notice the monogrammed initials as she accepted the fabric square.

Téa smiled at her gently-sympathetically-and patted her on the arm in an almost sisterly way. "Shall we continue, Miss Ishtar?"

Ishizu nodded slowly. "I-I think I'd like to see the kitchens-and meet Solomon, if that's all right with you, Miss Gardner…"

_-I obviously will get nothing out of her-_

"Of course, Miss Ishtar." Téa walked past her and beckoned her to follow her back up the staircase.

As the pair of women made their way through the corridors to the kitchen, Ishizu couldn't help but pipe up, "Miss Gardner-is this the way we came…?"  _I can't tell where we are in this blasted house-_

Téa laughed kindly, a tinkling, giddy sound. "You don't have the best sense of direction, do you, Miss Ishtar?"

* * *

 

Ishizu walked through an arched doorway and let out a sigh of relief as the room registered as familiar in her mind.  _Now-now this place, I_  do  _remember from when Mokuba took me around the house-_

Hardwood floors. A large island with a smooth wooden surface in the center of the room. Against one wall rested a massive refrigerator and matching shiny freezer; adjacent to that wall was a stove with several burners; across from the refrigerator and freezer was the sink-a large metal tub of a sink, propped up on legs, bracketed by black marble countertop-and then on the last wall, exposed brickwork-a final flourish-surrounding a large oven.

And at the sink, washing something furiously, droplets of water flying everywhere, was the short, squat gray-haired figure of Solomon Moto.

"Um-Mr. Moto?" Ishizu called out tentatively, jumping in surprise as the older man dropped whatever he was holding under the water from the tap with a sharp  _clang_. Wiping his hands on his apron, he turned around and strode over to Ishizu, his short legs taking many, many steps to cross the kitchen floor, and extended his hand. His eyes-so like his grandson's-were just as welcoming.

"Welcome, Miss Ishtar-glad to see you again-what brings you to the kitchen?" His grasp was firm. Strong. Endless laugh lines on his face. Ishizu almost felt the urge to hug him-

_-stupid, stupid-_

"Ah-well, since Mokuba's out for the day, I didn't really have anything to do-so I figured I'd help everyone out around the house-if that's all right?" Ishizu felt herself speaking at a higher octave than usual-her voice coming out almost childlike-as she broke their grip, folding her hands together in front of her.

"Of  _course_  it's all right!" Solomon boomed, reaching out his blocky hand once more to pat her on the forearm. "I can  _always_  use extra hands-tell me, how're your vegetable-chopping skills? I was thinking about making the staff some sautéed vegetables as part of lunch…"

Ishizu's cheeks heated.  _There's a reason Odion does the cooking…_ "Ah-well. I-I'm a… a fast learner, Mr. Moto…"

Solomon smiled broadly again. "That's what I like to hear, Miss Ishtar-after all, Rome wasn't built in a day-even  _I_  had to start from somewhere…" He walked over to the countertop beside the sink, where large piles of vegetables-asparagus, onions, mushrooms, carrots-lay in a messy heap upon a large white plastic cutting board.

Opening a drawer and withdrawing a rather intimidating-looking knife, he crooked his finger towards Ishizu. "Come on-I'll make you an expert in no time!"

Ishizu walked towards him slowly; Solomon reached for a perfectly orange carrot and laid it before him on the cutting board. "All right, Miss Ishtar, now  _here'_ s how you chop up carrots-and please, call me Solomon."

* * *

 

"Now-make sure you've got your oven mitt on, Miss Ishtar-you gently lift the pan and tilt it so that the vegetables fall onto the plate…" Ishizu, sweating slightly from the heat of the stove, did as Solomon directed, allowing the golden-brown mushrooms and onions to join the heaping piles of fragrant vegetables on the large plate on the countertop.

As she placed the pan back on the stove, being sure to turn off the heat, she pulled off the thick, checkered oven mitt and dropped it onto the counter as Solomon patted her on the arm. "See-not so hard, right?"

Ishizu cracked a smile despite herself. "Ah-well, I don't think I'll be going to culinary school any time soon-"  _Like hell-though, at least I won't have to live off instant noodles when I go back to school-_

_-when I go back to school-_

Tears sprang, unbidden, behind her eyes, as she wiped her forehead.

Solomon watched her with careful eyes as she carried the plate over to the kitchen island where the flatbreads and cuts of meat rested on large platters. "Good work, Miss Ishtar-we've still got a few minutes before the rest of the staff arrives for lunch."

He turned back to the countertop and began to put all of the utensils, along with the used pan, into the sink.

Ishizu turned around to face him. Watched him scrub at the pan for a bit.

Then-hesitantly-

"What's it like?"

_Working for Seto Kaiba-_

Solomon sighed.  _The poor girl…_

His voice sounded like it was coming from far away as he responded. "Miss Ishtar… please understand that how Mr. Kaiba is treating you is  _entirely_  out of the ordinary for him. Wh-when I was let go from my job at one of the nicest restaurants in town around ten years ago-Mr. Kaiba hired me-when he was just a youngster-and allowed me to move in with my grandson. Allowed my grandson to apprentice himself to the old tailor. Then hired him when that tailor passed away a few years ago-"

Ishizu clenched her fists behind her back, wincing slightly as the nails dug into her palm.  _Another staff member, drunk off the Seto Kaiba Kool-aid-_

_-what is it about him they all see-_

_-what do they know about his nature that I do not-_

It burned. Infuriatingly so.

"So, you see, Miss Ishtar-Yugi and I owe everything to Mr. Kaiba." He turned off the water and placed his hands on the sink.

"I see."

Another person to hate.

"But I  _will_  have you know, Miss Ishtar-if Mr. Kaiba so much as touches you-there  _will_  be a  _problem_  amongst us household staff. And we  _will_  not let it go. Understand?" He turned around to face her, leaning back against the sink, crimson eyes filled with resolve.

_That promise again-_

_-as if they think they have the power to defy him-_

_My brother made an honest mistake, and look at what's become of me-_

_-how can they be so naive?_

Solomon turned back to the sink, switching on the faucet and beginning to rinse off the pan. "And I know it might seem like he's a man who has everything-had everything handed down to him, silver spoon in his mouth-"

_-As if he hasn't?_

"-but I promise you, Miss Ishtar-he never had the easiest time of it-why, I remember when he hired me-when he'd just become the CEO of the Kaiba Corporation-"

_That wounded, fragile boy he was-_

_-the pained, unhappy man he's been ever since-_

His voice grew suddenly faint, trailing off-as if he had said too much.

Ishizu felt slightly queasy, unclenching her firsts and dropping her hands to her sides as Solomon laughed somewhat forcedly. "Ah, well-I'm sure you don't want to listen to the ramblings of an old man..."

"Ah-no, Solomon, I don't mind-" she piped up-fruitlessly, for the aproned older man had already turned off the water, wiped his damp hands on the starchy white fabric, and begun to pull down plates and glasses from various overhead cabinets, muttering quietly to himself.

Ishizu looked hard at the spotless hardwood floor, her bare feet.

_-who the hell is Seto Kaiba?_

As Solomon brought the plates over to the island, he cleared his throat. "Miss Ishtar, I believe it's noon-would you mind helping me set up the table in the secondary dining room?"

"O-of course-" Picking up the plate of sautéed vegetables, the warm porcelain comforting in her hands, she followed the older man out of the kitchen and into an adjacent room facing out onto the grounds, replete with a large round wooden table and simple but attractive ceiling light-and the view was, of course, magnificent. The sunlight shining in through the double screen doors-the refracting light almost blinding her as she set down the plate of vegetables in the center of the table as Solomon laid out everyone's places.

Doubling back towards the kitchen, Ishizu was promptly handed the meat plate; Solomon followed her back into the dining room with an armful of silverware and folded cloth napkins.

As they briskly laid out everything on the table, Ishizu heard the sound of footsteps approaching. "Ah-good to see you helping out our beloved chef, Miss Ishtar…"

Téa Gardner, ever-present sweet smile gracing her features, her small device in hand, lingering in the other doorway to the dining room.

Ishizu forced her lips up into a matching smile as she placed a fork on top of a napkin. "Yep-Solomon taught me how to prepare sautéed vegetables-so, you know,  _watch out_  for those-" She let out a self-deprecating chuckle, which Téa returned, that warm look returning her to eyes.

"Solomon?" Téa called out, looking past Ishizu to the doorway leading to the kitchen, where the older man was bringing out the glassware on a silver tray- _another tray,_  Ishizu noted, a sense of déjà vu cutting through her-

"Yes, Téa, dear?" His gravelly voice was gentle, friendly; Ishizu wondered if he knew of the rather adorable lingering glances between his grandson and the household chief of staff…

"May I call in the staff?"

Solomon began putting out the glasses. "Yes-I finished lunch rather quickly this morning-thanks to  _this_   _one_  here," he laughed, pointing to Ishizu with his elbow.

"So I've heard-" Téa looked down at her device and pressed a few buttons.

Within a minute, it seemed-nearly all of the members of the household staff had arrived-excepting Joseph, Tristan and the rest of the security staff-crowding into the small dining room and settling into their places around the table, chattering amongst themselves excitedly as they took in the heaping plates of fragrant vegetables, golden flatbreads, and various pink and red sliced meats.

Ishizu suddenly noticed Yugi, who was waving at her from where he sat at the table; he then gestured to the seat beside him, inviting her to sit beside him.

Ishizu smiled crookedly, shaking her head, then-almost so subtly that Yugi missed it-jerked her head towards Téa, prompting the short, spiky-haired man to blush bright pink.  _Ha-so it's mutual, then._

_Good for them both-_

"Miss Ishtar, would you like to join us? We can pull up a chair…" Solomon looked up at her from where he sat, his feet barely touching the ground, a broad, welcoming grin crinkling his face.

Something strange and foreign rippled through her-her mouth tasting sour-as she surveyed the happy employees enjoying one another's company, the camaraderie-all in their uniforms, all in those  _blasted_  KaibaCorp-inscribed outfits…

She wanted to vomit.

Needed to get out.

Of here.

_-anywhere-_

Steadying herself, chewing on the inside of her cheek for a moment. "Ah-no, thank you, Solomon-I was thinking I could bring Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Taylor their lunches-they're on outside duty, correct?"

Solomon nodded, lifting a thick finger to point through the screen doors, where Ishizu caught a glimpse of the distant suited figures standing at the end of the broad patio. "Right outside, Miss Ishtar…"

* * *

 

A tray with flatbreads, meats and vegetables in hand, Ishizu opened the screen door, ignoring the lump in her throat at the happy conversation being bandied about at the round table-Yugi indeed having saved that seat next to him for Téa, who had taken it and looked  _rather_  pleased with herself at the moment-and crossed the threshold, a cool breeze wafting over her, rustling her skirts, before she closed the door.

Walking along the patio towards the bulky guards, she arranged her features in a simple smile as she called out to them. "Excuse me-Mr. Wheeler-Mr. Taylor? I brought your lunch…"

The men didn't respond. As she grew closer to them, she began to hear it-an undercurrent of deep voices-barblike, hastily uttered words being passed sharply and rapidly between the two men-almost like an  _argument_ -

-they didn't seem to have heard her, in any case…

"Mr. Wheeler? Mr. Taylor?" she called out again, now within what couldn't have been more than five feet behind the two men-

"I'm just sayin', Tristan-ya don't think that, I don't know, takin' my sis to a scary movie was the smartest move ya could have made? I mean, don't get me wrong-I don't mind ya lousy ass datin' Serenity, though she's waaaay too good for ya-but come on, man, don't be a shitty boyfriend-" The bushy-haired blond, his arms crossing in front of his chest-

Ishizu paused, pondering on the relative goldmine of information she'd been handed, albeit indirectly- _so Mr. Taylor is dating Serenity-who's Mr. Wheeler's sister-Mr. Wheeler is American, perhaps from New York, judging by the accent-_

- _those two say more than one word at a time-?_

The brunet with the close-cropped hair snorted. "Joey, you dumbass, I don't know  _what_  she's told you, but going to see  _My Goldfish is a Serial Killer 2_  was  _her_  idea, all right-it's not  _my_ fault that she got scared later…"

The blond reached out and punched the brunet in the shoulder playfully, albeit roughly. "Come on, Tristan-you  _honestly_  expect me to believe that my little sis  _wanted_  to see that cheap pile of crap?"

The brunet turned towards his coworker, shoving his finger against the other man's sternum. "Considering it's the  _truth-_ "

Ishizu cleared her throat delicately. "Excuse me?"

The two security guards paused their imminent debate about who knew Serenity Wheeler better to turn around quickly and drop their hands, looking down at her with suddenly blank expressions.

"Yes, Miss Ishtar?" All traces of humor-even the accent-gone from the blond's voice.

Ishizu smirked, eyes round as she held out the tray of food, a trace of a chortle in her voice. "Now, Mr. Wheeler-don't you  _dare_  'Miss Ishtar' me. I  _know_  what I just heard, and clearly you  _and_  Mr. Taylor here have been holding out on me-with that whole 'silent, strong type' thing-"

The two guards broke out into a slight sweat at her tone, patches of red creeping up their thick necks.

The blond-Mr. Wheeler-spoke up again. "Ah-well, Miss Ishtar, ya see, Mr. Kaiba don't particularly like it when we, uh, run our mouths off in front of him or company-it ain't polite, ya know…" Mr. Taylor nodded vigorously in agreement.

_So I'm "company" here?_

_-what a useful euphemism for my situation-_

Ishizu walked in between the two men and sat down on the steps of the patio that led down to the lawn, placing the tray in front of her, tucking her legs under her skirt. She looked up at them, willing herself to keep smiling-playing this way- _one of the guys, so to speak-_

"Aw, come on, Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Taylor, you don't have to be so formal with me-you both know I'm not  _exactly_  company, boys, don't you?" The endearment, although directed at men likely several years her senior, slipped off her tongue easily-wryly.

The burly guards looked at one another, slightly confused, before shrugging and sitting down on the steps beside her, as Ishizu extended her hands out behind her, leaning her weight on them.

The blond spoke first. "Well-I guess, Miss Ishtar-ya can call me Joey, I s'pose…" He reached onto the tray for a flatbread and a few pieces of turkey before waggling his thumb towards his coworker. "And this big idiot over here is Tristan."

Tristan bristled, his thick eyebrows lowering abruptly as he opened his mouth to protest. "Now you listen here, Miss Ishtar-if  _anyone_  in this house is an idiot, that guy is  _definitely_  Joey-man, the stories I could tell you-"

"Aw Tristan-ya wouldn't dare-else I'd have to tell Serenity about that time junior year when you-"

"You wouldn't  _dare_ , Joey-"

Ishizu looked at both of them briefly, shifting her eyes from one comically angry expression to the other, before throwing back her head and laughing. Pretending to wipe a tear from her eye as her shoulders shook with practiced humor.

"Are you two  _always_  like this?" She reached for a piece of flatbread and tore off a section, popping the warm, doughy bread into her mouth.

"Hey, when you've known someone as long as I've known  _this_  guy-" Tristan pointed at Joey, who was currently shoving a massive helping of vegetables into his mouth; the brunet reached around Ishizu and lightly punched Joey on the top of his head- "you  _idiot-_ at least  _pretend_  you have manners…"  _We've got a lady here, after all…_

Joey swallowed, somehow not choking as the two security guards both looked at Ishizu with wide eyes-

_A lady we've both seen-_

_-well-_

_-naked-_

Ishizu smiled at both of them as she pulled a piece of ham from the pile on the tray and placed it into her mouth. "How long have you guys been working here?"

_Easy does it-_

_-grease the wheels-_

Tristan grabbed a flatbread and rolled up some meat and vegetables inside of it, before biting off a chunk, expression thoughtful. "Hmm-well, we started working around here at the same time-after we graduated from Domino High, Joey here tried his hand at some tournaments until the money dried up-"

"Tournaments?" Ishizu asked, taking another piece of ham.

"Duel Monsters-greatest game ever, lemme tell ya…" Joey had swallowed another head-size bite of flatbread. "Back in the day, ya know, I was a contender…"

"Oh, you were  _not_ -" Tristan replied, voice dismissive, as Joey made a face and prepared to retort something particularly impolite-

_Duel Monsters-_

_-that card game that's all over the news?-_

"I don't know much about the game…" Ishizu murmured, looking at the platter of food.

"Hm." Tristan sounded almost thoughtful. "Well, I mean, you  _did_  meet the creator last week…"

"I-I did?" Ishizu's heart beat faster as she scrambled- _I've meet so many damned people-those blasted "friends" of Seto's-his work colleagues-_

Joey answered around a mouthful of food. "Yeah-ya met Mr. Crawford, didn't ya-"

Ishizu's eyes widened, breath stopping in surprise. "Pegasus is the creator of Duel Monsters?" She had to cover her mouth with her hand to stop a mealy bite of food from falling out, prompting Joey and Tristan to snort, albeit good-naturedly, at her expense.

"Yeah-he came up with the idea a while ago-his company, Industrial Illusions, makes the cards, sells them, he holds tournaments occasionally, the whole thing."

- _interesting-_

_-I have to get them back on track-_

"So-you stopped playing the game, Joey?" Ishizu prompted innocently, her eyes large, voice tinged with curiosity.

"Yeah-so I stopped playing the game, the money dried up-and, well, it's funny-we actually went to  _high school_  with Mr. Kaiba, though we were never exactly  _buddies_ -but somehow, well-Mr. Kaiba had hired Tristan over here a few weeks earlier-and, well, he found out I wasn't doin' so well- _god,_ it's  _so_  weird callin' him  _Mister_  Kaiba-and he offered me a job workin' security, and I've been here ever since."

_Yet another person Seto Kaiba has helped-_

_-yet another recipient of his kindness-_

_-and what am I-?_

That bitter taste flooded her mouth once more. Pasting an understanding smile on her face as she smoothed her skirt over her thighs. Picked up the now-empty tray as she stood up, eyes traveling across the endless greenery of the lawn. The sun beating down on her shoulders and face, now oppressively hot. Burning her scalp through her hair. Sluggish. Dry. Cracking.

"Well, if you two are done with lunch-is it okay if I take this back in?"

Not waiting for their nods of assent, she turned on her heel and walked back towards the house.

* * *

Ishizu studied her feet peeking out of the clear, cool water of the tub, trying to make the ringing pain in her head go away.

_Why-_

_I don't understand._

_I don't understand a blasted thing-_

She straightened her back and slipped her feet below the surface of the water, watching the ripples pool in concentric circles. Ever contracting. Ever expanding.

She felt something sharp and painful in her chest. Working its way up to her throat.

_Of all the people in this household-_

_-Mokuba-Téa-Yugi-Solomon-Tristan-Joey-countless others-_

_-only_ I  _am the one who has had to suffer in this way-_

_-me and my family-_

Her body felt tight and achy as she curled her knees in towards her chest, tapping her fingers restlessly along her exposed kneecaps. Watching the drops roll back into the water and disappear. Become nothing.

Free and not free.

- _what did Solomon mean when he-_

She refused to let herself think of it. Of  _that._

Of  _him._  Him before her. Him  _looking_  at her.

_Looking at him looking at me-_

_-him-_

She rolled her head gently on her neck, feeling a slight cramp at the base of her skull.

Usually a bath had the power to make her feel better. Soothe her muscles. Calm her nerves. Slow the wild, sickening beating of her heart.

_I used to dream at night, too-_

Steely resolve heated and cooled within her bones. Settling. Hard. Inflexible. A shell. Around and inside. Within and without.

Coiling around her heart.

_-I wish I wasn't here I wish I wasn't here gods I wish I wasn't here-_

Suppressing a sob.

Still clinging onto her mantra with shaking, wet fingers.

_I will kill him._

_I will._

She could smell blood in the air.

Inhaling deeply, she slid beneath the surface of the water, thick strands of hair slithering around her face like Medusa's snakes.


	5. Lavender Rose

_What in blazes is going on…?_

Ishizu pouted crossly, still keeping her eyes closed at Seto's request.

_What can the bastard possibly be so excited about-_

His knocking on the door that morning-at precisely seven o'clock, of course-had been louder. More erratic. Furious, almost-as if he couldn't  _wait_  for her to open the door-

Seto Kaiba had felt rather magnanimous upon his return from Tokyo.

Idly wondering how she was doing on the plane ride there-

Thinking indecently about her as he tried to sleep-her form, clothes pooled around her feet- _those eyes-her lips-her…_

…  _well…_

Then, on the plane ride home, actively wondering what he could do-

- _perhaps_ -

-to get another glimpse of that  _wondrous_  glowing smile. That rare starlight in her eyes, the dewy glow of her face, the  _joy_  he'd seen-

The light that merely  _seeing_  him seemed to extinguish.

At his insistent knock, Ishizu had yawned, face crinkling, rolling out of the bed, smoothing her nightgown around her hips as she'd approached the door; instead of Seto with a tray, she saw-

Seto- _and Mokuba_ -

-the latter with round, shining eyes-as if he was holding onto a  _perfectly_  wonderful secret that was threatening to make him  _burst-_

"Now, Miss Ishtar-" Seto's voice, normally so arrogant and lazily superior, had a slightly rougher cadence-as if he were  _breathless_ \- "I'm going to need you to close your eyes and  _not_ open them until I say so. Mokuba here will help you follow me to our destination and make sure you don't fall over. All right?"

Ishizu squinted up at him questioningly, fighting another yawn from splitting her face in two, covering her mouth with her hand.  _Am I still asleep…?_

 _-to be honest, I would be perfectly fine if this were a strange dream-to have_ those  _again-_

A brief look of annoyance flitted across Seto's face as he studied her. Her face, eyes still heavy with sleep-her slightly frizzy hair, spilling around her  _shoulders-_ her  _neck-_

- _dammit-_

The two of them stood on opposite sides of the threshold, looking and not looking at one another. Gazes flickering. Avoiding contact.

Ishizu suddenly feeling slightly dizzy-from the exertion, that is.  _No other reason-_

"Ishizu-" Mokuba piped up, extending his arms and taking her hands in his. "Just hold onto me, okay? I won't let Seto over here bother you-besides, I think you're  _really_  gonna like what we have to show you!" He squeezed her hands excitedly, eyes boring into hers with a nearly  _frightening_  fervor.

_What the devil-?_

Ishizu bit back a tiny groan of resignation, perking up her features into something pleasant and conciliatory as she closed her eyes. "All right, Mokuba-I trust you-"

She couldn't help but emphasize the "you" slightly-if only under her breath, where only the most careful of listeners would be able to hear the bitterness woven into her tone.

Seto heard.

Abruptly feeling cold soak through him as he turned on his heel and began to walk down the corridor. "Nn."

Mokuba following backwards, glancing repeatedly over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't going to trip or walk into a wall, leading Ishizu gently by the hands, she with her eyes dutifully closed.

Around the corner-down a flight of stairs-right turn-down a hallway-down another flight of stairs-the endless transitions from thick, plushy ankle-deep carpet to smooth, hard wood and then back again-

-Ishizu nearly feeling nauseated at all the unsteady twists and turns-

Then Mokuba stopped. The air was slightly cooler around her, making her remember how improperly and impractical she was, standing in some unknown room in Seto Kaiba's home in her nightgown-

"All right, Miss Ishtar-" she heard Seto's voice from far away-across the room, perhaps- "keep your eyes closed for a few more moments, if you would."

She briefly considered peeking as she heard his footsteps grow slightly quieter, somewhere in front of her-

_Maybe if I just open them a slit-pretend I'm yawning-_

"Hey-Ishizu, I  _saw_  that!" came Mokuba's faux-disapproving voice as he squeezed her hands tightly from where he stood before her; his eagle eyes had been intermittently scanning her features ever since he and Seto had led her from her room to where they were now, and he'd seen her open her mouth just then-her eyelashes' flutter-

 _Blast._ "S-saw what, Mokuba?" She could tell he was smiling; she fought the urge to snap her eyes open-to lean forward and ruffle her hand through his messy hair-like a sister-

Mokuba snorted. "Yeah,  _right_ -uh huh, Ishizu, nice try. You're dealing with the  _Kaiba_  brothers here, remember? You're  _never_  gonna pull the wool over  _our_  eyes-"

Ishizu pressed her lips together in minute satisfaction as she  _felt_  Seto staring at her from where he stood behind Mokuba-nearly clear across the room-even as her eyes were squeezed shut so tightly that she was starting to feel a faint headache coming on between her eyebrows-

- _I would call_ that  _assertion into question, Mokuba-_

Then-

-she felt Seto's lips by her ear. His voice low. Husky. Proud. "All right, Miss Ishtar-you can open your eyes now."

Ishizu swallowed hard at his words, feeling slightly off-balance- _faint_ , even-at his sudden closeness.

A flutter.

_-no-_

_-do not think of this now-_

-as she slowly opened her eyes, allowing the glassiness that had formed in a film to clear away, she saw-

-soft lighting, dim but focused-

-white and wood pedestals with dark and light objects on top of them-littering the room before her- _sculptures…_

-then, on the back wall of the room-

A series of  _paintings_  in a wide variety of colors and sizes-

Ishizu withdrew her hands from Mokuba's, trying to keep the unsteadiness, the utter shock currently crawling through her from emerging into her voice-from spilling from her lips uselessly-

"I-I don't understand…" She turned her head to look at Seto, who had crossed his arms and was watching her. Eyes bright. Intent.

-almost  _warm_ -

-then wide-confused at her apparent confusion-

He raised a hand to awkwardly scratch at the back of his neck, a tiny nervous quirk of his lips as he fought to keep his voice smooth. Controlled. Characteristic.  _Mustn't let Mokuba suspect anything-let alone_ her-

"Ah… well-you see, Ishizu-I-I remember you talking about your curatorial studies to my work associates on our nights out-and-well, I thought you might like to see my private art collection-such that it is… I mean, it's hardly much, but…"

He trailed off as Ishizu walked towards one of the pedestals as if in a daze, her eyes narrowing to take in the foot-tall clay form, to inspect its surface, trained eyes soaking up every detail…

_Two people locked in an embrace… arms wrapped around one another… becoming one through the medium-fluidity-unity…_

"I-is  _this…_ " Ishizu chewed on her lower lip, a flash of recognition glittering in her eyes as a hint of awe appeared on her features-a slight glowing blooming on her cheeks as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, flickering her eyes to Seto.

He smirked, trying to ignore that strange weakening of his chest as he saw it-something like it, anyway-that  _look_. On her face. "Yes, Miss Ishtar, it  _is_  a Rodin. One of the models for  _The Kiss_ , I believe."

 _Perhaps that was_ not  _the most prudent choice of artworks-_

He licked his lips nervously.

Despite herself-despite everything-she smiled. At him. Eyes beaming, a dimple in one cheek making itself known to him.

It was like seeing the sun.

_This is what she truly loves-_

Then it was gone; Seto wasn't sure if he'd seen it or merely imagined it as Ishizu turned away from him to look at the paintings hanging on the wall.

One large canvas right before her, a hazy purple form hovering above a deep blue ground. Like clouds in the midnight sky. Like a dream. "Ah… I  _love_  Rothko…" She licked her lips, voice coming out slightly cracked with disbelief. Wonder.  _He has good taste-I'll give him that-_

Seto watched her there for a moment, the unfathomable woman in her nightgown, she lifting up her fingers before her, gently moving them as if trying to trace the painter's brushstrokes… to learn… to  _understand…_

He cleared his throat. "Mokuba, you may leave now."

_I have to ask her-just so I know-_

Ishizu, who had turned around once more to face a delicate Calder stabile on another pedestal, the wire limbs moving in the breeze created by her gentle breathing, froze.  _Oh-?_

_What can he possibly want with me-_

_-alone-?_

She lowered her gaze to her bare feet, pretending she hadn't heard.

The younger Kaiba, who had been watching Ishizu with large eyes, his hands clasped behind his back, turned to face his brother and groaned. "Ugh, Seto… come  _on_ …"

"Mokuba, I have some private matters to discuss with Miss Ishtar." He flicked his eyes to meet his brother's questioning gaze, the blue chilly and resolute as Mokuba rolled his eyes and shrugged, turning on his heel, his shiny blue sneakers squeaking unpleasantly against the wooden floor, before leaving.

_Private… matters?_

… why did that sound so-

She clenched her hands into fists behind her back, the abrupt flash of pain bringing her to her senses.

"Miss Ishtar?"

_It's only because of the damned Rodin sculpture-_

_Honey._

_Vinegar._

_Remember-_

"Seto?" she responded innocently, beginning to walk towards him, studying how his expression shifted, almost imperceptibly, as she approached him. Swallowing an inward smile as his cheeks pinked, his breath hitched as she came to stand before him, hands now clasped before her.

He licked his lips once more. Regretted the strange thickness of his voice as he tried to summon his husky, arrogant drawl. The one that indicated his awareness of his excellence. His superiority. His  _control_  of any given situation-

- _tentative though it may be-_

"Miss Ishtar, I was wondering if you'd like to dine with me tonight."

_Another blasted work function? At least he's asking nicely…_

"Another dinner with a colleague, Seto?" Careful. Supplicant.

Seto coughed suddenly- _humiliatingly_ -moving the back of his hand to cover his mouth in an elegant gesture. His throat felt  _incredibly_ dry as he cleared it once, then again.

"Ah-no, Miss Ishtar. I happen to have a free night this evening and… well-I was-I'm asking you, Miss Ishtar, if you'd like to have dinner with me-just me."

The question hung in the air, collecting dust motes as Ishizu's pulse roared to stuttering life.

_Can it really be that simple?_

_-he's playing_ right  _into my hands-_

She allowed her lips to curve into a serene smile, lowering her eyes to her feet as if she were embarrassed. Flattered by his asking. Bit her bottom lip for effect as she slowly lifted her eyes to meet his. "Seto-"

Without meaning to, he cut her off. "I-I know you probably can't, but-but I'd like you to start thinking of yourself as my guest here…"

 _How disgustingly fresh of him_ -

"B-but you won't let me go?" Ishizu threaded a wobble into her voice, cocking her head to one side delicately, allowing the strap of her nightgown to fall, almost carelessly, off her shoulder. Exposing flesh.

Seto noticed. His voice coming out harsher than he meant it to, trying to overcompensate for the sudden tremor that rippled through his body. "No."

_-then the bastard deserves what is coming to him-_

"I see." She dropped her gaze to her bare feet once more, then looked slightly forward at Seto's shiny black shoes, the laces done up perfectly. She could almost see her reflection in the toes.

_Perhaps if I-_

She lifted her head quickly, a slight catch in her voice as she asked, "Seto-if I may ask-if I have dinner with you tonight, do you-do you think it would be possible for me to call my brothers?"  _After all, he's here, isn't he? He can listen on the damned extension for all I care…_

 _She thinks of dinner as an obligation._ Seto honestly couldn't say he was surprised at the way she was bartering-something he wanted for something she wanted _-adept of her, that-_

"Of course," he replied smoothly, studying her face for something-a hint of that look he could have  _sworn_  he'd seen…

Then, thinking quickly:

"Actually, you can speak to them now. Follow me."

_I-I can?_

Ishizu inhaled sharply, trying to fight the sudden wetness that had decided to bubble, sentimentally and utterly inappropriately, behind her eyes, as Seto turned and began to take long strides out of the room, she trailing after him as if in a daze.

He led her up a set of stairs she didn't recognize-though, of course, that did not necessarily mean she hadn't used it before-leading her into one of the many perfectly appointed sitting rooms in Kaiba Manor, this one with an accompanying antechamber.

Ishizu spotted it-a telephone, lying on the coffee table-her heart nearly coming to a stop as she sat down on the couch in front of the table, fingers in her lap itching to reach out and grab it. To pluck the handset off the receiver and, perhaps, chuck it at Seto's head…

_Well, I can dream, can't I-?_

"Now, you can use this phone here; I'll be in the antechamber listening in on the phone in here, all right?"  _I can't risk her making any trouble for me-_

_-the mindset of the prisoner. Being grateful for a modicum of humanity. Accepting it like a gift. Remember-_

Ishizu nodded, face eager, as Seto smoothed his hands along the front of his impeccable black suit jacket and made his way into the small side room.

Ishizu waited a moment, making sure his footsteps had faded-giving her at least the illusion of privacy-before lifting the handset off the base and dialing the Ishtar family apartment's home line.

The phone rang with an incessant  _prrring_ , jolting Marik Ishtar awake from the fitful sleep he'd managed to pluck from the depths of endless worry-stomach pains-anxiety, ever since that  _asshole_  Seto Kaiba had taken his sister- _all because of me, all because of me-_

Hopping out of bed, shoving his glasses onto his nose, he half-ran, half-slid out of his room and into the kitchen, where the old phone, with its endless curly cord, was ringing so _damned_  loudly.

 _Who could be calling at this obscene hour?_   _It's barely eight-thirty…_

He had half a mind to tell off whoever was on the line as he picked it up, his voice a petulant grumble. "Ishtar residence, Marik speaking-"

Ishizu gasped at the sound of her brother's voice, coming in so clearly, through the handset. "M-Marik, it's  _me-_ "

Marik's heart came to a painful thud as tears welled up in his eyes, a single droplet snaking down by his nose as he choked out, "Sister-oh,  _gods_ , it's  _so_ good to hear your voice-"  _After so long-ten days-it's been an eternity-_

She felt herself sniffle slightly as she laughed, voice nearly bursting at the seams as she replied, "Oh, Marik-I'm so happy to hear yours, too…"  _In this frighteningly silent, vast house…_

Marik's voice grew rough. "Is-is that  _asshole-that sick bastard-_ is he-has he-I  _swear_  on Ra's name, Ishizu-if that  _creep_  has done  _anything_  to you-"

Seto bit back a caustic remark from where he was listening in, handset pressed against his ear, breathing softly and quietly so as to not alert Marik to his presence- _that idiotic excuse for a human being-I cannot even believe they are related-_

_-anyway-I've been called worse-_

Ishizu just laughed, a tinge of acid creeping into her voice. "No, Marik-believe me, I'm fine-he's just been wining and dining me every night…"

Marik sniffed loudly as another tear ran down his heated cheek, pushing his glasses up his nose as he sputtered, "Wh-what? What kind of kidnapper t-takes his hostage out for  _d-dinner_?"

Ishizu smiled sardonically to herself. "Haven't you  _seen_ , Brother? I'm all over the Domino papers and tabloids as Seto Kaiba's  _lady love_ …"  _And don't we_ just  _make the loveliest pair?_

" _That son of a_ -"

Seto had to pull the phone away from his ear as Marik released a loud torrent of  _incredibly_  foul epithets, all directed at him.  _Elaborate insults, those… I hadn't heard_ that  _one before-_

Ishizu giggled despite herself, hand fluttering up to cover her mouth. "Marik-calm down. It's  _just_  for the public-I promise. He hasn't so much as  _tried_  anything improper."

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, leaning back and crossing her legs at the ankle. "Though, I wouldn't do  _that_  again, Marik, considering he's listening in on this call right now…"

Seto stiffened, his spine like an iron rod.  _That was_  not  _part of the bargain-_

Marik paused for a moment as his glasses slid off his face and clattered to the floor, his face soaked with tears. "He  _is_? That  _bastard_  is listening in  _right now_? Then how do I know he's not got you ch-chained up in some b-basement somewhere?"  _I have half a mind to walk up to Kaiba Manor and challenge him to a freakin' fistfight-_

Ishizu layered velvet into her voice. Comforting. Sisterly. "Marik-trust me,  _when_  I come home you'll see-the people here have been perfectly kind to me-I'm certainly eating better than I do when I'm at school-"

 _Then there_ is  _the whole fact of my planning to kill Seto-_

_-that's rather a nice cherry on top-_

"Is Odion there?"

Marik shook his head, briefly forgetting himself, then spoke up. "No-he's not. He's g-going to be  _so upset_  when he f-finds out you called…"  _He'll never forgive himself for missing it-_

The alarm clock in his room down the hall began to beep loudly and annoyingly, announcing its presence with near-dramatic flair.

_Damn-_

"Ishizu-I-I would  _love_  to stay and talk all day-and I can't  _believe_  I'm doing this but-but I have to g-go open up the shop-" He pawed at the tears streaming down his face uselessly, almost violently. "I-is this, like, your  _one_  phone call-or will I get to talk to you again?"

Ishizu stood up from the couch and walked around the furniture towards the antechamber until she was face to face with Seto, face impassive, holding the phone against his ear.

"I don't know, Seto- _will I_?" she asked, a hint of steel in her voice as she looked up at him.

Seto's voice, too loud in the receiver, made Marik feel sick to his stomach. "Ishtar-you'll be able to speak with her again. She'll be able to call you whenever she wishes-provided, of course, that  _I_  am there to monitor the call. Understand?"

Marik's blood boiled beneath his skin, his breath coming in overlapping shudders. "You-you  _better_  not do  _anything_  to hurt her-or-or else I'm-"

 _Or else you'll what-?_  Seto bit back the mocking comment, Ishizu's blazing eyes like a warning as he cleared his throat, wanting to loosen his tie, his windpipe suddenly feeling tight- "Ishtar, I made you that promise. And, if it will make you  _happy_ , I will repeat-I will not  _touch_  your sister."  _Despite what he may think-_

 _What_ she  _may think-_

_I'm not a monster._

_I'm not-_

Ishizu's features smoothed over as she spoke once more into her handset. "Marik-go on and open up the shop. Keep the business going-all right? I  _promise_  I'll call you tomorrow, all right?"

Marik gulped in lungful after lungful of air. "Ishizu-if you don't-if that  _asshole_  doesn't let you-"

Ishizu cut him off, voice imbued with an air of finality. "He  _will_. Right?" She held Seto's gaze in her thrall; he could only nod slowly, trying to keep himself composed.

"I promise, Ishtar. She will call you tomorrow."

 _So_ very  _like Mokuba-_

_-dammit-_

Ishizu bowed her head towards him, expression unreadable as she turned around and walked back into the sitting room, feeling Seto's eyes boring into her back. "Marik-I-I love you, all right-that's-that's why-"

_That's why I'm here instead of you._

Her brother's voice was tinny, crackling through the phone line, almost overcome with emotion. "I know, Sister-I love you too.  _So much_."

_That's why Seto Kaiba will die at my hands._

"Give Odion my love, all right?"

She lifted the handset from her ear and ended the call. Sat still for a moment, feeling something unsettling and anxious twisting frantically inside her. Struggling. Wanting out. Her lips. Her throat to give it voice. A cry.  _My brothers-_

_-I hope they'll be all right-_

She heard Seto hang up his handset; his footsteps growing louder as he approached her seated form on the couch. Almost tentatively. She, staring at her hands. Folded in her lap. Ankles crossed.

_Calm. Placid. Controlled-_

_-smile-_

She lifted her head slowly as Seto began to speak, voice low. "Miss Ishtar-"

"Thank you for letting me speak to my brother. I would be happy to have dinner with you tonight, Seto." That sweetness permeating her voice. Like a switch-on, off, on-an endless flickering. All somehow comprising her.

She didn't even understand herself sometimes.

Lacing a hint of something into her tone as she continued, lowering her eyelids as if they were heavy with sleep, pressing her lips together before parting them once more, "I look forward to it."

Seto's eyes traveled from her eyes- _those eyes-_ to her mouth, skimming along her neck and fixating briefly on that aberrant nightgown strap. Hanging off her shoulder still.  _As if-_

_-as if it needs to be replaced back onto her shoulder-_

_-or tugged down-_

_-fully._

_-I'll be damned-_

He swallowed hard,  _those_  thoughts getting the better of him-rifling through his rational mind, tearing it into fraying ribbons.

Ishizu grinned inwardly as she studied the movement of his gaze. Along her body. Ripe. Lush. Promising untold things beneath the simple white fabric.

Even though he'd seen her without before-

_-exposed-_

-it was evidently not enough. Never enough for him.

"I'll see you at seven o'clock, Seto."

_I will see to it that you break your promise to my brother-_

_-as if you were anything but easy in the first place, Seto Kaiba._

And then-

 _-_ the flutter _-_

* * *

 

_Rap-rap-rap-_

"Ishizu?" Yugi's voice, cheerful and pleased as ever, coming from behind the closed door.

_What is he be doing here?_

"One moment-" Ishizu fumbled with the buttons of the gown she'd chosen for dinner-a simple peach knee-length confection Yugi had whipped up for her sometime during the previous week. The silky fabric not too shiny, just the right amount of opacity, with thin straps and a sweetheart neckline that revealed  _just_  a hint of cleavage. Innocence in a dress. Unconscious allure. Exactly what she needed.

_Tonight._

_Tonight I'll do it, by all the gods-_

Her fingers slipped again.

 _Blast_ -

"You can come in, Yugi-" she held the dress closed with one hand as she turned to face the spiky-haired man, makeup bag in hand, whose face lit up when he saw her.

"I'm here to help you get ready-ah, Ishizu-an  _excellent_  choice, that…"

_How-_

"So you know, then?" Ishizu sighed heavily, wearily.  _Of course-_

Yugi shrugged in response, scratching the back of his neck idly. "It's a small staff. Voices carry. People hear things… people  _tell_  people things…"

Ishizu smiled weakly.  _I see..._  "Well, I would be  _more_  ready-if only I could get these buttons to fasten…"

Yugi beamed, eyes wise and knowing, as he reached out his arms and began to do up the endless line of tiny buttons along Ishizu's side.

As his nimble fingers worked, she couldn't help but tease:

"So… Téa Gardner, huh?"

Yugi's blush was almost luminescent as it crawled patchily along his skin. "I-I  _certainly_  don't know what you mean, Ishizu… Téa-I mean, Miss Gardner and I are merely just good friends. After all, we've both been working for Mr. Kaiba a fair amount of time…"

_There it is again. That stumble over her name-_

Ishizu resisted sticking her tongue out at him as he secured the last button into place. "All right, Yugi, say what you like…"

As Yugi took her hand to lead her to the bathroom, she piped up, voice faux-thoughtful, "although, for someone who's merely her friend, you  _sure_  do stare at her like a drooling schoolboy…"

* * *

 

"All right, Ishizu. You're ready."

Ishizu opened her eyes to find-for once-someone she recognized.

Only…  _more so._  Her cheeks feeling slightly warmer. Eyes slightly more emphasized with thin black eyeliner. A nude pencil applied to her lips in lieu of red lipstick. Hair styled simply, falling in thick locks around her shoulders.

Through the partially-closed bathroom door they both heard it-

_Rap-rap-rap-_

Seto's knocking-

Ishizu couldn't ignore a small shudder as it danced wickedly down her spine.

-the  _flutter_ -

_Tonight._

As she turned to leave the bathroom, to slip on her black low heels and open the door, Yugi studied her face carefully. Reached out and took her chin in his hands, turning her head to face him, nearly touching his forehead to hers. His eyes gravely serious.

"Ishizu."

It startled her to see such dark emotions in that normally bright, sparkling violet gaze.

"I trust my employer, Ishizu. And I know the kind of man he is. But-if you feel-if he does  _anything_  to hurt you, anything at all…"

Ishizu gave a start as she recalled what Téa had told her just two days prior:

"- _if he were to so much as_ touch  _you he'd have a riot on his hands…"_

Then Solomon's similar words-confirmation delivered in his hearty, gruff voice:

" _But I will have you know, Miss Ishtar-if Mr. Kaiba so much as_ touches  _you-there_ will  _be a problem amongst us household staff. And we_ will  _not let it go. Understand?_ "

She knew then-realization jolting through her-that she was looking at the ringleader.

Ishizu pressed her lips together, feeling a bloom of color rush into her cheeks-

 _Thank you_.

Understanding, Yugi let go of her chin, patting her on the cheek softly-almost like a brother. Straightening up, willing her pulse to steady, Ishizu looked at herself in the mirror once more, glad to see someone she knew on the other side, and crossed the threshold into the bedroom.

* * *

 

"I-I just realized, Seto… I've been here for-well-more than a week now, and there's so little I know about you…" Ishizu lifted her eyes from her plate of fragrant, thinly sliced skirt steak, a hearty helping of vegetables taking up half the space on the square porcelain, and laid down her knife and fork, placing her elbows on the table, propping up her chin in her hands; she lifted her eyes to face the man sitting across from her at the small square table, his knees nearly knocking against hers underneath the smooth dark wood.

Seto swallowed the small bite of asparagus and laid down his knife and flicked his eyes up to her-

-where he'd tried not to look as soon as he'd seen her in the doorway. Looking up at him. Blooming. Hair flowing around her face. A vision. All soft-looking skin and collarbones framing that perfect neck-

He'd uncharacteristically found himself at a loss for words. Dry-mouthed. Like some amateur, hands shaking in his pockets as she'd given him a seraphic smile. Eyes half-lidded. Seeming to see  _right_  through him.

And he'd been silent throughout the soup and salad courses, her leg pressing against his under the table wrecking his fragmented concentration. Not daring to say anything, not attempting to make conversation, however light, however tangential to anything- _what if she thinks I'm an idiot?_

 _Although I don't suppose that's my_ main  _problem right now-_

"Ah-well. There's not really  _that_  much to know about me, Miss Ishtar. As you well know by now, I'm the CEO of the Kaiba Corporation, where I design high-grade military weapons for various clients and world governments. I don't suppose you'd find that interesting…"

_Everything I say is utterly asinine-_

Ishizu licked her lips quickly, taking a sip of wine from the glass by her plate-her first. Her  _only_ , if Seto had anything to say about it…

"I see." She looked back at him and smiled almost beguilingly. "I mean, Seto… is it interesting?"

_Come on, you fool, give me something to work with-_

Seto speared a piece of steak into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed, finding it increasingly difficult to meet her gaze.

"It's fairly intellectually stimulating, though  _hardly_  taxing…" Creating the  _right_  heat-seeking capabilities for the newest brand of missile… the armored tanks that still had to be light enough to move at a fairly fast clip…  _not exactly exciting, but work is work._

 _This line of questioning is getting me nowhere._  "Well-hmm…. Where did you grow up, Seto?"

Seto bristled subtly, his mouth pulling into a scowl. "I'd rather not discuss my childhood, Miss Ishtar. Is that understood?"  _Of all the things to discuss at dinner-_

_-of course, she'd have no way of knowing-_

Ishizu fought back a pout, the mixture of emotions playing across her features nonetheless attractive. She lowered her eyes back to her plate, cut herself a piece of steak, and placed it between her lips. Chewing and swallowing with gusto. Licking her lips after she was done.

Him staring at her all the while.

He was  _putty_.

"Well then-what about your hobbies-the things you like to do with your free time?"

Seto almost smiled, eyes growing bright. "I don't have much time for hobbies, Miss Ishtar-though, up until a few years ago, I  _was_  a world champion of Duel Monsters…"

_That game again-_

"You  _were_?" Ishizu inquired, somewhat intrigued by another mention of this mysterious card game. She took another sip of wine. "What was that like?"

_To be a world champion of something-to have everyone in your field know your name and think of you with awe-_

_It must be intoxicating._

"It was very important to me when I was younger-when I was more rash and hot-blooded. Didn't quite know how to act. Didn't know how to  _dress_ , either…" Seto let out a wry chuckle, remembering the flamboyant trenchcoats at the back of his closet.

_Seto Kaiba not knowing how to act-gods, that'd be a sight to see, considering his nature does not seem much improved-_

"Why did you stop?"

Seto took a drink from his glass. His voice suddenly much colder. Flat. Blunt. "Because Duel Monsters is a game, Miss Ishtar. However important it may have been to me growing up-it's a mere game-for children, I might add. I had to take being the CEO of this company more seriously."  _All items of childhood must become relics eventually-_

Ishizu cocked her head to the side and frowned for a moment. "I see." She speared a bite of potato onto the tines of her fork.

"You know," she began, a lightness creeping into her voice, "when I spent time with Joey and Tristan on the day you left, they mentioned that  _Pegasus_  is the  _creator_  of the game-of Duel Monsters?"

"Of course," Seto replied smoothly. "He created the game-designed all of the cards himself, everything."  _That white-haired fool's one contribution to society…_

"I still can't believe it- _me_ , having met the man behind the most popular game in Domino City?" Lacing a brush of awe into her voice. Eyes flicking downwards to her plate. Modest.

Seto smirked. "And rubbing shoulders with titans of industry-dining with the former world champion of Duel Monsters-doesn't awe you in the same way, Miss Ishtar?"

Ishizu returned his smirk, eyes flicking back to him, dropping to his lips. "No, Seto Kaiba-I guess it just  _doesn't_  have the same  _effect_  on me…" She adjusted herself in her seat slightly, revelling in the minute changes in his facial expression as she rubbed her knee against his-gently, as if on accident.

 _She couldn't have possibly_ meant  _to do that-_

She could practically  _see_  the hairs stand up on the back of his neck…

"Anyway, I don't know how to play the game-I never really had the opportunity to learn, I guess…"

To her surprise, Seto's voice was almost breathy. Low. Throaty. A hint of pride. "Well then, Miss Ishtar, I  _do_  hope you'll permit the former world champion to show you how it's _done_ …"

Trying to summon the Seto Kaiba who did  _not_  quaver in a woman's presence-

Ishizu took another sip of wine, her eyes never leaving his face.

"I look forward to it, Seto."

Seto coughed, most uncomfortably, and loosened his tie. Reached for his glass. Took a rather large drink of wine.  _Her damned voice-_

_-that insistent, delicate melody-_

Ishizu almost smiled to herself as she took a bite of potato.

Seto gulped quietly, wetting his lips before speaking. "Well, what about  _you_ , Miss Ishtar-I mean, suffice it to say that you and I are relative strangers to one another-what ought I to know about you?"

Ishizu laid down her knife and fork. Pretending to ponder. "Hmm. I mean, you saw my reaction to your  _wonderful_  gift this morning, Seto-I'm a bit of an art nerd…"  _Though the gesture_ was  _surprisingly kind of him-_

Seto thought of her spellbound-spellbinding-expression as she'd looked at his small but rather fine art collection-after all, money earning money all on its own had gotten rather  _dull_ several years back-

-that flash of  _joy_ -of something like happiness in her eyes.

"I probably could have deduced that myself, Miss Ishtar…" He lifted his knife and fork and began to cut into his steak. Trying for an almost teasing tone-to reassert himself.  _He_ was in control here-not this woman, however bewitching, with that unconscious,  _dangerous_  hold she seemed to have over him-

Ishizu laughed, dropping her eyes back to her plate demurely. "Well-perhaps. It doesn't seem as though much escapes you, Seto…"  _Ha. If only he knew-_

"I like to keep things that way, Miss Ishtar." He chewed and swallowed. "I mean-art is not exactly my forte-how  _does_  one become interested in that sort of thing?"

She couldn't stop a real grin from slipping across her features as she replied. "Well-I'm sure it will bore you. It's not the most  _interesting_  story…" She stabbed at a piece of asparagus and popped it into her mouth. "I mean, as you're well aware of by now, my family does a  _little_  dabbling in the antiquities industry…" She swallowed back the bile that threatened to engulf her throat- _I mustn't forget why I'm here, after all-_ as Seto crossed his legs again, bumping her knee in the process.

That flutter.  _Again_ - _I-_

As Seto watched her intently, she hid a shudder and continued. "So while I always grew up surrounded by ancient art and artifacts, my father encouraged me to explore other avenues of art-buying me books, taking me on travels to the States, bringing me to the museums of New York…" Her heart thudded painfully in her chest at the memory of her late father.  _So kind-so wonderful-_

"And-well-I've loved it ever since. Just-the incredible  _passion_  that's so easily visible-the  _emotions-_ as if these long-gone artists are speaking to us, using a method that we can only  _hope_ to understand-or perhaps  _can_  understand, either instinctually on some level, or more clearly with a trained eye-" Ishizu found her voice picking up speed, her words beginning to stumble over one another, so she paused. Looked down at her plate. Cheeks a slight red.

Seto almost burst a vein at that  _adorable_  display.

Recovering quickly, he asked, "so you're in graduate school now for art history? At the Courtauld, I seem to remember?" His voice was a drawl-but with a hint of interest puckering around the edges. As if he were trying to hide how much he  _really_  wanted to know about her-

-was  _dying_  to know-

Ishizu nodded. "I didn't ever have much talent for it-not like Mokuba. By the way-your brother is  _tremendously_  gifted at painting-I almost mistook one of his paintings you have hanging up for a  _real_  Pollock…"

_-it's rather too bad he won't get to pursue that career-_

Seto smiled briefly at the thought of his brother-when he'd visited him last year, seeing Mokuba work in his studio, placing the drips and splashes of paint with a keen eye and controlled hand. Something that Seto, despite his intellect and facility for learning, would never quite understand.

"So yes, I was- _am_  enrolled at the Courtauld. Of course, I still need to write my thesis, but luckily I've already completed my coursework."

_Luckily I am not missing anything while I'm cooped up like this-_

She gritted her teeth imperceptibly as she bit down on a piece of steak.

They sat there in silence, slicing up and finishing the rest of the food on their plates, the sound of occasional sipping punctuating the clatter of silver utensils.

Seto swallowed hard as he looked back up at her. Her placid manner. Softness. That gentleness about her-that way that she seemed to have  _no_  idea what she  _did_  to him-

-Did he dare ask?

What innocuous thing would she say to shatter his composure-?

He dared. "So… to borrow your terminology, Miss Ishtar-what sort of things-other than art, of course-what do  _you_  like?"

_No. Not like that-why are my thoughts-why do they always-_

He sucked in a cool breath as he awaited her answer, laying his knife and fork upon his empty plate so as to attempt to distract himself from the way she looked as she considered his question.

_-dammit-_

Ishizu took another sip from her glass, licking the traces of wine from her lips as Seto watched. Stared.

 _In any other situation, I'd have to say that this is_ most  _impolite-_

She lowered her lids halfway, moving her elbows to the table and resting her chin in her hands. Voice with a coy edge to it. Just a hint of a hint.

"Well, Seto Kaiba-that's for  _me_  to know, isn't it?"  _And for you to find out…_

Seto crossed his legs once more, almost seizing up as he felt her knee, radiating heat, nudge his, sending a thrill of chain reactions jittering throughout his body.  _I'm going to Hell, aren't I?_

One of the serving girls that Ishizu recognized only cursorily entered the room and quietly took their plates away; Ishizu continued to look at Seto, her eyes shining and round. Lips pursed as if doing so almost subconsciously. Seto reeling with every breath he took, his eyes flitting around her-her arms-her hands-her neck- _anywhere_  but those  _eyes_  of hers-

_I must regain control of this situation, dammit-_

Ishizu blinked heavily a few times, smiling to herself all the while.

_-let's watch him squirm, shall we?_

The serving girl returned to the dining room and folded her hands in front of her, looking expectantly at Seto.

He felt the girl's gaze on the back of his neck, turned in his seat to her. Voice coming out almost hoarse. " _What_?"

"Will you be wanting dessert first, or coffee, Mr. Kaiba?"

Seto thought for a moment. Dared. Felt himself being pulled in, moth-like, to a  _truly_  awful idea. Knowing that in all honesty, he ought to end the dinner right then-call it a night. Escort Ishizu back to her room. Watch her evening ritual like a shameless creep.

_And yet-_

_-I_ am  _going to Hell._  "We'll take both now. Outside. On the patio, if you don't mind."

"Right away, sir." And the girl turned on her heel and made her way back into the kitchen.

 _On the patio? How bold of him._  Ishizu moved her hands to her lap and crossed her legs at the ankle.  _It_ is  _a rather nice night-_

_-wouldn't you say, Seto Kaiba?_

_Such an easy mark..._

Seto rose from his chair in a fluid, graceful motion, smoothing his suit jacket, before walking around the table to stand by Ishizu's side. Reaching out an elegant hand to her. Solicitous.

-His other hand practically shaking all the while-

He quickly shoved it into his pants pocket as she looked up at him, eyes wide and beguiling, scooting her chair back and placing her hand in his.

She almost cursed aloud, risking her act-her  _control_  over herself-as she felt that  _heat_ - _that flutter-_

_-again-_

_-I swear on all the gods, I must be going mad-_

"I assume that you will, of course, be having dessert, Miss Ishtar-" His face was suddenly smug. Knowing.  _Well, I_ do  _know_ one  _thing she likes…_

Ishizu feigned innocence, twisting her lips into a charming grin. "I don't know, Seto-is  _chocolate_  involved?"  _Ha- let him remember_  that-

As he escorted her out of the dining room, his hand moving to the small of her back, he couldn't resist pressing his lips to the shell of her ear, trying to ignore the whirling feeling of his every cell. "Of course, Miss Ishtar."

* * *

 

A fire burned, low and crackling, in a pit perpendicular to the rear façade of the house, creating a glow that struggled not to be swallowed up by the night sky. Two low couches, all with square, dark pillows, faced one another, separated by a glow glass table, upon which currently rested two generous slices of chocolate cake, along with two tiny cups of black coffee.

Seto guided Ishizu over to the display, his hand helplessly memorizing the feel of her, despite himself-as he prepared to take his seat on one of the couches, waiting for her to sit across from him, he nearly gasped aloud as she remained close to him-and sat right beside him. Her  _hips_  a hair's breadth from his. Her  _scent_  filling his nostrils.

Ishizu was glad for the dimness, shivering quietly as she  _felt_  his sharp intake of breath. In her spine. In her  _bones_. Recovering rapidly, she leaned forward and picked up one of the plates of cake. Turned towards him-their faces only inches apart. Bit her lip. "Is this okay, Seto?"

As Seto could only nod slowly, as if in a daze, Ishizu cut off a piece of cake and placed it in her mouth, delighting in the reaction he gave-that almost dramatic bobbing of his Adam's apple-as she released that same pleased groan from somewhere deep within her chest.

_You're too easy, Seto…_

"This is  _excellent_ ," she nearly purred, placing the plate back onto the table and twisting again to face him, leaning her head to one side, propping it up with her elbow on the back of the couch.

Seto released a labored breath between tense lips. "Ah-well, I had Solomon whip it up this afternoon. He seems to be  _quite_  fond of you, as does Yugi-really, you seem to have made several friends among my staff, Miss Ishtar…"

Ishizu giggled lightly, hiding a hint of bitterness in her tone. "Well, Seto-since I  _only_  just now was permitted to use the phone, I had to talk to  _somebody_ …"  _It just so happens that your staff are particularly susceptible to flattery and feigned interest-_

Seto ducked his head in acknowledgement, reaching forward for his coffee cup and taking a sip.  _Remember how to breathe. In. Out. That hasn't changed because she's here now-_

The embers of the fire flickered green and gold.

Ishizu mirrored him, leaning forward and taking her coffee cup in hand.

_Tonight-_

_I just need to do this-_

_I just need this to work-_

_-for him to take me to bed-_

_-and then-_

_-while he sleeps-_

She drained the small cup of coffee and placed the empty container back onto the table, swallowing the hot liquid down like a shot of courage.

Seto could only stare at her lips. All manner of  _awful, unethical_  ideas running through his head-

- _I'm not a monster, dammit-_

Ishizu turned her head to smile softly at him once more, lowering her hand to slip off her heels and curling up her legs under her skirt. The peach fabric wrinkling, dragging up her legs. Exposing part of her thighs.

"Thank you for dinner, Seto-I had a  _lovely_  time." Her voice was a thick, almost-whisper as she shifted slightly, making herself comfortable. Her dress riding up her legs even further. Carelessly. Her hair streaming around her shoulders. Eyes watching his face. Watching him watch her. Pushing down that sudden sparking  _need_ -

- _that idea-_

-of what she would do, were he to rest his hand upon her thigh. The soft palm. Subtly manicured nails rubbing against her skin. Digging in slightly. Possessive. Making it clear-then, slipping higher. Making it  _clearer_ -what he so  _evidently_  wanted-

-sliding further. Making it  _clearest-_

"Th-thank you." His voice sounded labored and far away. His eyes wandering over her face. Her collarbone.

_Now._

She took a deep breath and lifted her hand to his jacket, her voice coming out slightly husky. "Um-Seto-you have a leaf on your jacket-" and brushed a patch of nothingness off the front of his suit. Her hand lingering. Clutching the fine fabric idly.

Suddenly-

From deep within his chest, Seto uttered a groan.  _Send me to Hell._ Caught her wrist in his hand, leading her breath to catch on itself. Intent,  _desperate_  gaze searing, burning her skin. Everywhere he looked. Heat _._ Radiating. Pouring into every crevice, every limb-

Shivering. The night and its promise enveloping them-

She leaned forward slightly, him moving in almost reflexively, automatically, to fill in the gap-

-felt  _breath_ -

-the  _lightest_  of touches on her lips-

-like an afterthought-

Then-

" _No._ " His voice was strangled as he dropped her hand, moving his own to clasp across his lap tightly. The nails digging into his skin. Deep enough to cut. As well they should.

_I cannot believe I almost-_

Ishizu's jaw nearly dropped; she quickly pasted a neutral, slightly hurt expression on her face as Seto cut his eyes away from her. "You're  _clearly_  drunk." Voice flat. Almost pained. Disgust clawing its meandering, cruel way up his throat.

_I could never look myself in the mirror if I had-_

_-couldn't forgive myself-_

She quickly moved her hands away from him, slightly thrown off-guard-

_-what-?_

_He cannot really think-_

"Seto, I-I'm-"

She paused suddenly. Mind racing. Switching tactics, her body language becoming looser, more careening. Trying to ignore whatever  _useless_ stuttering afflicting her chest, reverberating throughout her body like an errant, irrepressible drum.

She covered her mouth as she faked a yawn, allowing herself to sag against him slightly. "I-I think I should go to bed now, Seto…"

Breathing out a quiet sigh of relief, chest feeling uncomfortably tight- "of course, Miss Ishtar-" he placed one hand on her back, taking her other hand in his, and helped her up off the couch.

* * *

 

"Seto."

He'd been averting his eyes out of courtesy, though with no small effort, as she'd shed her dress before him, allowing the impossibly fine fabric to crumple to the floor- _she really_ must _be drunk-_

-to see this on the screen, from far away, was  _one_  thing-

-for her to be like that-

-in the  _flesh_ -

-too much for him to bear.

Wincing slightly, he dared to lift his head, a rush of relief flooding him as he saw her already in the bed, wrapped in the white coverlet, head on her pillow. Hair in soft coils around her face. Eyes wide. Almost tremulous.

_Let's see if he'll bite-_

Voice unsteady. "I-I'm  _sorry_  to ask this, Seto, but-would you-um-"

"Nn?" Seto walked towards her tentatively, stepping carefully around the dress to come to her bedside.

She bit her lip, looking away shyly. Modestly. As if she could barely think to utter the thought, that strange as it was, seemed to be plaguing her mind. "Um-would you stay?-with me?"

 _I'm already_ in  _Hell, aren't I…_

Before he could think to respond, she'd shifted in the queen-sized bed. Reached out her hand towards his. Fingers scrabbling at the back of his hand. Her nails.

He caught a glimpse of her breast, peeking out of the top of the coverlet, and groaned audibly, not seeing the shadow that passed over Ishizu's face.

"A-ah. All right, then-"

And as Ishizu watched, keeping her eyes round, gentle, doe-like, he quickly shucked his shoes, unfastened his tie, and slid out of his jacket, carefully folding the garment into a neat pile on the floor before gesturing for her to move over.

She rolled away from him towards the wall as he slid in beside her, heart pounding unmercifully in his chest, blood boiling in his ears, as he pulled the coverlet over his legs.

As he laid his head back on the plump white pillow, he felt her shift in the bed. Felt her gaze on his cheek. Turned his head to face her, catching a glimpse of her bare back, the coverlet only coming up to her waist. Nearly having another heart attack at the sight.

Her eyes sleepy, half-closed. Voice again a whisper, tickling the base of his spine. "Good night, Seto…"

_Goodbye._


	6. Orange Rose

Out of the corners of half-lidded eyes, she could see them.

Hands. Hers. Twisting at the sheets at her sides, the silky material rendered a rag by her fists. Clutching tightly, arms tensing, then relaxing, then tensing once more as she felt her back arch of its own accord, as if she were straining to leave her own body-

Her lower lip practically raw from her gnawing at it with anticipation as the sensation rattled her, washing over her in an increasingly burning wave. Beginning somewhere around the apex of her thighs and spreading throughout, sparks catching onto one another until she was inflamed. Fully and well, skin raw and reborn.

Needing.

Wanting.

Fulfillment.

Release.

Then-

Hands. His. Cool. Pale. Long fingers. Soft palms gliding smoothly along her sides, rounded nails brushing against her skin, leaving ripples of gooseflesh in their wake. Caressing her waist, her hips. Fingers dipping below cotton. A moan ripping itself from her throat as she lifted her hips to let him tug the material down her legs.

Then his hands again. Now spreading her thighs. Slowly. Reverently. Thumbs pressing into the tender flesh almost urgently. As if he could not wait any longer, either.

The game had gone on long enough.

Her breathing labored. Thick. Coming from deep within her chest, then squeezed mercilessly into a vise and escaping from between parted lips as the softest, most delicate of gasps.

" _Please_ …"

His breathing rough. Low. His lips on the inside of her knee. Then the other. Moving upwards at an  _impossibly_ slow clip. Disregarding her half-burbled, half-wailed pleas to  _hurry_   _up_ , _please…_

His eyes glinting, dark. Voice a husky, teasing drawl, vibrating against her flesh:

"Let me show you how it's  _done_ , Ishizu…"

Ishizu's eyes shot open, heart skittering wildly in her chest, as her entire body shuddered itself awake. Entirely.  _Blessedly._

She curled up into a ball in the large bed reflexively, her spine practically screaming from the sudden shift in position. Eyes wide, blinking furiously, darting around the room urgently, as if she had given something away-a terrible secret-and had to go on the defensive-prepare for escape-for battle- _to fly or to fight-?_

His side of the bed was empty.

As was the room.

Her breathing slowly evened out as she rolled onto her back, her hands dropping to cover her eyes as a long, protracted groan ripped through her throat.

_Of all the dreams to have-_

_-the one night here I manage to dream at all-_

She turned her head and peeked through her fingers. Her dress from the previous night still in a puddle on the carpet.

His jacket and tie and shoes gone.

Had they even  _been_  there to begin with?

 _Did I dream_ that  _as well?_

After over a week of dull, dreamless slumber, suddenly-

_That._

The confirmation, so to speak, of that ineffable sensation that had begun to flutter through her the more exposure to him she managed to gain. The more time spent with him-

-despite her endless calculating and recalibrating exactly  _how_  best to be in any given situation, what sort of presentation the moment called for-

-of  _course_  this sort of wrench had been thrown into her plan, this threatening  _hiccup_  in her iron will, her  _resolve-_

- _of course_ -

_-blast-_

She pulled the coverlet up to her chin, willing herself to sink into the soft mattress and disappear. Eyes squeezing shut, skin growing cold despite the heat still lingering on her cheeks, her neck-

_And I let him get away-_

_-I could have done it right then-_

_-as he slept-_

She recalled what had seemed like a masterstroke at the time. Despite his resistance, however uncanny, however difficult to conceive-some flickering of  _decency_  within him, she supposed-the way he'd managed to contain himself and extricate himself from her clutches-

-despite the clear longing she'd sensed, felt in his touch, practically  _tasted_  on his lips as he'd almost given in-

-her invitation for him to sleep in her bed, given as it had been in a hard-to-ignore state of undress, had seemingly been the answer.

_All I had to do, dammit-_

Wait for him to sleep.

Do the deed. Clutching a pillow between her hands- _pressing-_

Then escape through the unlocked door. Get to a phone before someone noticed. Alert the authorities.

Play the innocent. Self-defense.

He  _had_  taken her prisoner, after all…

And yet under his needy gaze, his eyes framed by thick, fluttering lashes as he'd gazed at her  _body_ -

She'd managed to fall asleep first. And stayed that way.

Even to the point of having slept through his waking, his quiet collecting of his jacket and shoes, and his exiting the room, all without her having noticed.

_Any moment now, I suppose…_

…  _he'll arrive, tray in hand, prepared to pretend nothing has changed…_

She sat up in the bed, rubbing her eyes, stretching in a yawn as her suspicions were confirmed.

_Rap-rap-rap-_

Lacing a soft silk thread into her voice, she called out, "one moment, please…"

 _After all, I think answering the door like_ this  _first thing in the morning would potentially be overplaying my hand…_

She rolled out of the bed and walked over to the dresser; rifling through drawers, she found a pile of crisp button-down shirts in a variety of colors.

_Hm. I wonder-_

She unfolded a perfectly pressed white button-down and studied it for a moment, a sly smile playing on her lips as an idea emerged, fully formed.

_It's not his shirt-_

- _though the effect will likely be the same._

She slid her arms through the sleeves and fastened a few of the buttons on the shirt haphazardly, the bottom of the garment hitting just at the waistband of her panties.

_Excellent._

She strode over to the door, trying to ignore that irritating thrill that rushed through her-

_-it was only a dream-_

She pasted a wide-eyed, demure look on her face, running one hand through her unkempt hair as she pulled open the door.

Seto, clad in his customary dark suit and tie, nearly dropped the tray as he took her in-makeup from the previous night slightly smeared around her eyes, her lips parted-and that white button-down hanging around her frame, revealing her shapely thighs to him in full-

-the  _perfect_  unconscious picture of postcoital bliss.

Seto cursed his line of thought for going astray so quickly.

- _It is_ far  _too early in the morning for this-_

As if the events of the previous night had not nearly unmade him-

Her lips. Those strange, compelling eyes-half-lidded, heavy. Showing nothing but acute, simmering  _want_. For  _him_. The way she'd lifted her hand to him-grabbed at his jacket, finding an excuse to pull him close- _I may have been under the influence-drunk on her presence-but there was no damned leaf_ -

The  _heat_  of her mouth as he'd leaned in. The shimmering light before his foolhardy, paper-thin winged body, threatening to be his undoing. Her  _scent_ -clean, flowery, sweet but not cloying, threading throughout his body on rapid lines of electricity, igniting everything it touched.

His pained refusal-his attempt to save himself. Save her. The situation and its utter immorality.

_-she's not here willingly. She's only doing this because she's drunk. Hurting. Confused-_

_-I could never forgive myself if I were to take advantage-_

And yet he'd gone back to her room with her-

Been there while she'd slid that damned dress down her body, slowly and deliberately, he desperately trying not to look, ignoring the roaring growing within him that  _demanded_  he acquiesce. Succumb to that subconscious hold she clearly had over him-

-to the desire to  _watch._  See every perfect, glowing of her in the flesh.

To reach out for her. Slide his hand along that smooth skin of her arm. Her waist. Pull her against him, the heat of her body-her  _wanting, willing_  body-warming him. Setting him ablaze.

Let her know  _exactly_  how she'd tortured him nights. Return the favor. Demonstrate. Participate.

-see that  _glorious_  smile of hers, all mingled with salacious pleasure and ecstasy-

Instead of doing the rational thing and leaving, he'd practically  _jumped_  into her bed at her throaty, nearly-whispered request, not bothering to consider the merits of that particular path.

Watched her drift off, the muscles of her back shift and soften, her eyelids drooping cutely, eyelashes fluttering heavily before coming to rest.

Lying back in the bed. Staring at the ceiling.

Part of him wondering idly what he had possibly done to deserve  _this_  torture…

The greater part of him knowing-understanding-all too well.

And then the whole awkward affair of having to wake up at his usual hour, before the sun had fully risen, stumbling back to his own chambers like some guilty miscreant, pretending that nothing was amiss as he'd nearly tripped over the serving girl leaving his usual breakfast and newspapers at his doorway… she, bowing her head meekly, practically running back down the hallway…

… no doubt going to tell  _everyone_  what she'd seen.

_Nothing stays private in this damned house-_

Snapping out of his reverie, Seto licked his lips quickly as his eyes fixated on her legs. Most rudely. Improperly.

Ishizu felt his rather bold gaze lingering somewhere around the hem of her shirt as she piped up, voice perfectly level, talking evenly over the strange weakness in her chest, "good morning, Seto-I assume you've brought breakfast?"

Seto swallowed hard, his eyes flicking back up to meet hers. Her patient, small smile. "Ah-yes. Eggs and toast…"  _Why am I stating the obvious-like a damned idiot-_

"Excellent." She stepped aside to let him pass into the room, closing the door behind him as he laid the tray on the table with slightly shaking hands.

Attempting to fix a smirk on his face, Seto lifted the pitcher of coffee and poured himself a cup, wincing as the hot liquid spilled over the rim of the teacup and splashed onto his thumb. He hissed to himself in pain near-silently, eyes watering over as he forced his gaze to focus on the pitcher. The cup. Not her  _damned_   _legs…_

Ishizu walked back over towards him and took her seat, the button-down riding up slightly as she crossed her legs at the ankle and reached for a slice of toast, nibbling on it daintily as Seto finally figured out the mechanics of coffee-pouring and sat down, trying to pretend he  _hadn't_  just scalded his hand like an idiot.

"So…" she mumbled quietly, meekly, finishing the slice of toast and leaning down to pour herself a cup of coffee, offering Seto a view down the front of her shirt in an unconscious manner-if he so deigned, that is.

He deigned-nearly dropping hot coffee all over his lap as his eyes lowered of their own volition. Took in the view. Nearly breaking the cup with his grip as Ishizu sat back up and took a small sip.

"Ah-well." He cleared his throat, straightening his posture in the chair and crossing his legs in discomfort. "Well, Miss Ishtar, based on our conversation at dinner last night, I thought I might take the day off work today and teach you to play Duel Monsters-if you would be amenable, that is…"

_-I could not sound more desperate to spend time with her if I literally branded it upon my forehead-_

_Take the day off work-for that? For_ me? Ishizu was almost flattered as she took another swallow of coffee, her lips curling up sweetly at him. "I'd like that very much, Seto."

_It's really only a matter of time now, anyway-_

_-such an easy mark. For such an intelligent man-_

Seto nodded curtly, more relieved than he wanted to let on, ripping his eyes away from the front of her shirt as he refilled his cup.

"Is Mokuba here today?" Ishizu inquired, leaning forward once more to pick up the plate of scrambled eggs and a fork, smiling inwardly as she noticed Seto's eyes become slightly dazed as his gaze lowered, then darted back up to her lips, eventually making the journey to eye contact.

"Nn?-no. He's out again. Something about some  _girl_ ," Seto scoffed, taking another sip of coffee.  _My brother, the foolish romantic soul-_

Ishizu raised an eyebrow as she lifted a forkful of eggs to her lips. "I see…" She almost cracked a genuine grin at the thought of the younger Kaiba attempting to woo some girl- _-no doubt he'd be the sweetheart type, all flowers and chocolates and anniversaries_ -

-the kind of thing she could never envision the man currently sitting before her doing with a straight face.

- _Seto Kaiba couldn't even get an_ actual  _lover-he had to resort to wearing me on his arm like some accessory in public. Who's to say he would even manage to be adequate at this sort of thing-?_

- _what a strange line of thought-_

Her chest felt strangely tight, her stomach tinged with a queasy feeling as she finished the plate of eggs quietly, the room falling silent, filled only with the sounds of eating and drinking. Him trying to focus on drinking his coffee in the manner befitting someone with hand-to-eye coordination. She trying to not wilt under the unconscious intensity of his gaze.

The little deep sounds he made as he shifted in his seat, unable to get entirely comfortable, were beginning to  _affect_  her. Tiny, throaty noises he didn't seem to notice he was uttering that rippled through her. Crackling. Prodding. Collecting. Unerringly.

_-not this, not now-gods, please-_

She found herself beginning to steal glances at him as she began to finish the rest of the toast. Almost like a dare- _will he notice if I look here? What would he do if I were to-_

-her eyes flickered to his lap. His crossed legs. The perfect pleats of his thin-legged trousers. Then back up again. To where his tensely vibrating legs met.

Something disturbing shivered through her.

Once the tray had been cleared of food and the pitcher emptied of coffee, Seto leaned forward and picked up the silver platter, rising to his feet as Ishizu took a deep breath and mirrored him, walking beside him to the door and pulling it open for him.

"Should I come back here in a few…" Seto's voice trailed off suddenly as Ishizu, seeming not to hear him, strode over to her dresser and withdrew a sea-foam green dress and a pair of panties, which she then carried over to the bed and laid out over the rumpled white coverlet.

As he watched, awestruck, fingers aching from how hard he was squeezing the tray, she turned her back to him and started unbuttoning the white shirt, which she let fall to the ground at her feet.

She bit her lip to suppress the thrill of his gaze  _eating_  her alive as she turned her head to the side, catching a glimpse of him with her peripheral vision. "Oh, that won't be necessary," she chirped gaily, tugging her panties down her legs, pressing her thighs together reflexively as she  _felt_  him look there.  _There._ His intense gaze on her tangible like a questing hand. _There-_

She then switched panties, bent over fluidly, and pulled up the new pair, fully aware that she was  _this_  close to giving the poor man a serious heart failure, before she reached for the dress and pulled it over her head, smoothing it down over her hips.

_Sucker._

_-I've become such an exhibitionist, haven't I…_

She smiled cruelly to herself as she turned to face him, relishing the way his cheeks seemed to flare up as her eyes, round and nonchalant, met his own, noticing the way his pupils had darkened, the too-firm set of his jawline as he white-knuckled the tray. "Just give me a moment to brush and wash my face, and we can get  _right_  to it."

Leaving him in her doorway-looking for all the world like as if he were about to have an aneurysm-she padded over to the bathroom and closed the door behind her-

-and then she let out a shuddering breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as her knees began to buckle, her body sagging against the closed door as something  _frighteningly_ insistent jolted through her, licking at her. Ruthlessly. Nearly knocking the wind out of her with how  _urgently_  it sought her out.

As she bit her lip, trying to ignore it-the way she was squeezing her inner thighs together- _for Ra's sake-_ she lifted her head and caught a glimpse of her face in the glass.

Hair unkempt, falling over her shoulders in thick, tangled waves. Her eyes heavy-lashed and wild. Her cheeks radiating heat. Lips trembling of their own accord.

A reflection of how she  _was_  in that moment-with Seto Kaiba-how she  _hated_ him-on the other side of the door, no less, across the endless plains of white carpet…

Like she had been when she'd startled herself awake, after a night of sleeping beside him, a night of  _feeling_  him above her, if only in her subconscious mind-

-that smirk. That  _mouth_  of his. Poised.  _On her-_

The look on her face was positively  _feral_.

* * *

 

Seto sat across from her at the square wooden table, his legs crossed, face utterly serious as he shuffled the deck, the cards flying through his fingers like some kind of magic trick.

Ishizu leaned on her elbows on the table and watched the fluid motions of his hands, her legs demurely crossed at the ankles. Waiting.

His voice held more than a smidge of arrogance, of complete and utter  _confidence_ , as he spoke. "Now, for a basic duel, each person has forty cards in their deck." He neatly cut the pile of cards in perfect halves, placing a stack before her. "Since I am teaching you the game, we're playing with my personal deck. Usually my deck has forty cards, pursuant to the rules, but since twenty cards is hardly anything, I've taken the liberty of giving us thirty apiece."

_After she learns the basics, perhaps I'll take her to my private arena-_

_-not like that, dammit-_

Ishizu nodded, studying the brown-and-black swirled design on the back of the cards.

Seto leaned back and crossed his arms, a smirk crawling onto his features. "You may shuffle if you like-though I promise you, I am not the type to cheat…"

Ishizu lifted her eyes and threw him a tiny, twisted smile. "That  _is_  what someone aiming to cheat  _would_  say, Seto…" She picked up her makeshift deck and shuffled it a few times, albeit not quite as naturally as Seto had.

Seto ducked his head in acknowledgement of her point. "Well taken, Miss Ishtar. Now, your deck will contain three types of cards: monster cards, which will have a brownish or tan background, spell cards, which have a teal-blue background, and trap cards, which have a magenta-purple background."

Ishizu nodded and watched as Seto fumbled in his jacket pocket. His face lighting up slightly as he found what he sought. "So in order to decide who goes first, generally the duelists will flip a coin." He brandished a shiny one yen coin, the grace of his motions truly like that of a magician. "Tree or number?"

"Number, please."

Seto flipped the coin and palmed it. "It's number." He showed Ishizu the coin. "Would you like to go first or second? Mind you, there are strategic advantages to either-though you don't really have to concern yourself with that right now…"

Ishizu bit her lip as she considered quickly. "I'll go second."  _Don't rush blindly into things. Watch. See what they do. Consider. React._

"As you wish, Miss Ishtar." Seto nodded and put the coin back into his jacket pocket. He then lifted and moved his deck slightly to his right and drew seven cards in one rapid motion. "So now we each draw our first hand of seven cards-in fact, if you don't mind, we can play open-face for this first round." Ishizu watched the slight wrinkle in his brow as he considered his hand, then flipped them over, laying the seven cards in a neat row; she looked down sharply as he looked up again towards her and imitated his motions.

 _All right. Two of those teal spell cards, four of the monster cards, and one trap card._  Ishizu swept her eyes over her revealed hand.  _Monster Reborn, Vorse Raider, Hitotsu-Me Giant, Battle Ox,_   _Cloning, Saggi the Dark Clown, Lullaby of Obedience…_  she lifted each card closer to her face in succession, attempting to memorize the small text on each card, the statistics of the monster cards, the effects of the spell and trap cards…

Seto rubbed his chin in his hands as he considered his hand.  _Blue-Eyes White Dragon-excellent-Flute of Summoning Dragons, La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp, Power Balance, Polymerization, Blade Knight, and Card Guard._

He lifted his eyes slightly to look at Ishizu's cards all laid out before her, her fingers poised over them.  _Hmm. Not an awful first hand…_

"All right, Miss Ishtar-let's agree that we'll begin with four thousand life points apiece. So you see the number of stars on the top of your monster cards?"

Ishizu nodded.  _Hitotsu-Me Giant has four… Battle Ox also has four…_

"Now, that number of stars dictates how you can summon that monster. Four stars or fewer means you don't have to sacrifice any monsters to summon them to the field. Now, as you can see, I have Blade Knight and La Jinn, who each have four stars, and-with excellent fortune-the mighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon, who has  _eight._ "

_Eight stars? A powerful creature…_

Seto moved Blade Knight out from the spread and placed it vertically before him. "So, since I cannot summon the Blue-Eyes White Dragon on my first turn, I'll play Blade Knight in Attack Mode. As you can see, Blade Knight has sixteen-hundred attack points and one thousand defense points. Now, Attack Mode means that on my next turn, I get to attack you and whatever monster you put on the field. If you lay the monster vertically like so, then it's in attack mode. Horizontally is Defense Mode. Got that?" He moved another card from the top of his deck to the spread before him. "And, of course, I draw another card so that I continue to have seven in my hand."  _Lord of Dragons…_

Ishizu nodded as she studied her hand, a crinkle appearing between her brows.  _So if his monster has one thousand six hundred attack points…_  Tentatively she lifted Battle Ox from her hand and set it out before her. "I'll play Battle Ox in Attack Mode."

Seto's mouth turned up at the corners.  _She's getting the hang of it._  "So since your monster has a higher attack power than mine, I can't attack your monster. So now I'll summon Lord of Dragons in Defense Mode, and draw again"  _Let's start off nice and easy-let her get some damage in…_

Ishizu felt a small thrill of satisfaction. "All right then, so I'll attack your Blade Knight. My monster has one hundred more attack points, so that means I destroyed your monster, correct?"

Seto moved his Blade Knight off the field. "Correct. So now my Blade Knight goes to the Graveyard, and I lose one hundred of my life points."  _Easy, easy…_

"Don't forget to draw another card, Miss Ishtar." Ishizu nodded and selected another card from the stack at her right.  _Command Silencer…_

Seto moved La Jinn onto the field.  _Eighteen-hundred attack points… excellent._  "I'll summon La Jinn in Attack Mode and end my turn. Now, Miss Ishtar, you can't attack me because your Battle Ox only has seventeen-hundred attack points."

Ishizu licked her lips and studied her hand. "I see…" She moved Battle Ox into a horizontal position. "If I move Battle Ox into Defense Mode, does that protect my life points?"

Seto nodded.  _Indeed. She's thinking on her feet…_  "Yes, so now while I  _will_  destroy your Battle Ox, it won't affect your life points."

"All right, so I'll do that and end my turn."

"So now I'll summon Lord of Dragons to the field in attack mode, and then I'll attack Battle Ox, so it goes to the Graveyard." Ishizu moved the Battle Ox off the field into a separate pile.

She looked back at her hand. "I'll summon Hitotsu-Me Giant in Defense Mode." She laid the monster out on the field, then lifted a card from the top of her deck and put it in her hand. _De-Fusion…_

Seto looked across the table. "You know, Miss Ishtar, you might want to try using one of your spell cards…"  _Monster Reborn could bring back Battle Ox…_

"Ah-" She skimmed her eyes over the teal cards before her.  _Monster Reborn… I could bring back Battle Ox…_

"And I'll also play Monster Reborn, allowing me to return Battle Ox to the field, and I'll also play it in Defense Mode." Ishizu laid out the spell card on the field and moved Battle Ox from the Graveyard to lie horizontally beside Hitotsu-Me Giant, then drew two more cards from her deck.  _Blue-Eyes White Dragon-that has eight stars-and Kaiser Glider-that has six stars…_

Seto grinned darkly. "Playing on the defensive, I see, Miss Ishtar?"

Ishizu chewed on the inside of her cheek, the look on his face bringing an unwanted heat to her cheeks. "I like to stay in the game for as long as possible, Seto Kaiba."  _And I do not like to lose-_

Seto's eyes dropped to her lips for a moment, lingering briefly; he then looked down at his hand once more. "I'll summon Flute of Summoning Dragons, a magic card, which then allows me to Special Summon my Blue-Eyes. It can also allow me to summon up to two dragons, but as you can see, I only have one in my hand." He laid the cards out on the field, smirking as his fingers brushed against the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.  _The ultimate monster…_

Ishizu swallowed hard, sucking in a sharp breath. "Ah-"  _That's formidable… I don't have anything in my hand stronger than that-_

Seto looked up at her challengingly, his eyes bright and glittering. "Your move, Miss Ishtar." He drew two more cards and laid them out before him.  _Enemy Controller and Shrink…_

Ishizu dropped her gaze to her hand as a thought occurred to her. "Oh! Joey Wheeler mentioned he used to play Duel Monsters, too-do you two ever play against one another?"

Seto rolled his eyes. "You're stalling for time, Miss Ishtar-and, for the record,  _no_. I am-well, let's just say Mr. Wheeler is not  _quite_ at my level…"  _As if that man could_ hope  _to keep up with me-let alone defeat me…_

Ishizu wrinkled her nose petulantly. "I am  _not_  stalling for time, Seto… I was merely  _curious_ , is all…"  _Damned snob…_

"All right, Seto-so I want to summon Kaiser Glider. Since it has six stars, how do I summon it?"

"You sacrifice one of the monsters on the field and put it in your Graveyard," Seto replied, scanning his eyes along her open hand.

"All right-so I'm sacrificing Hitotsu-Me Giant and summoning Kaiser Glider in Attack Mode."

Seto smirked once more, sending a shiver down Ishizu's spine.  _That's your mistake…_  "Well, I  _wouldn't_  have done  _that_  if I were you… perhaps Defense Mode could have saved some of your life points…"

Ishizu looked down at the field.  _Blast._  "Oh-"

"But I'll have to ask you to  _please_  say goodbye to your Battle Ox."

_Eh? Why wouldn't he attack Kaiser Glider? It's in Attack Mode… I would lose life points that way…?_

She moved Battle Ox into the Graveyard, her eyes flicking to his face, wide with confusion.

He spoke smoothly, anticipating her question. "And before you ask, Miss Ishtar, Kaiser Glider's special ability-which some monsters have, by the way-would have allowed you to force me to move one monster on the field back into my hand once it was destroyed, thus potentially ruining this  _lovely_  little Blue-Eyes White Dragon summoning combo I've got going …"

"Ah."  _It_ is  _his deck-he_ would  _know it better than anyone…_

"Your turn, Miss Ishtar."

Ishizu scanned the field quickly.  _Ah-!_ "All right-in that case, I'll destroy your La Jinn with my Kaiser Glider, costing you six hundred life points."

 _Hm… she's learning-_  Seto lowered his eyes and smiled to himself, a hint of pride about his lips, as he looked over his hand. "My turn, Miss Ishtar… and I think I'll lay one card face down and end my turn." He flipped over Enemy Controller and laid it on the field, then reached over to draw.  _Another Blue-Eyes… excellent._

 _Ah. A face-down card…so he's hiding something. I'd better be cautious-_ Ishizu narrowed her eyes and looked at her own hand. "I'll play Vorse Raider in Defense Mode and end my turn." She plucked a card from the top her deck.  _Kaiser Sea Horse._

Seto smirked once more, revealing Enemy Controller. "I'll activate my spell card Enemy Controller, which allows me to force your Vorse Raider into Attack Mode. I'll also play the spell card Shrink, which cuts the attack power of Vorse Raider in half. I'll then destroy Vorse Raider with my Blue-Eyes, which, I believe, takes away two thousand and fifty of your life points."

 _Blast-I have fewer than half of my life points left-_  Ishizu bit her lip as she looked over her cards.  _Kaiser Sea Horse, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Cloning, Command Silencer, and De-Fusion, Saggi the Dark Clown, Lullaby of Obedience -with Kaiser Glider on the field in Attack Mode…_

She looked across the table to observe Seto's open hand.  _Blue-Eyes White Dragon-another one?-Polymerization, Power Balance, Card Guard, Hyozanryu-another powerful monster-Sword of Soul, and Des Feral Imp-with the combination of Lord of Dragons, Flute of Summoning Dragons, and the Blue-Eyes on the field..._

_-damn-I could have negated the attack with Command Silencer if I'd been thinking…_

_Oh-_

She lifted Kaiser Sea Horse and placed it on the field. "I'll play Kaiser Sea Horse in Defense Mode."

She bit her lower lip as she looked over her hand once more.

"And I'll place one card face down." She moved Command Silencer to face the table and laid it out on the field.

Seto's eyes flashed. "I'll just destroy your Kaiser Sea Horse-"

Ishizu grinned broadly, flipping over Command Silencer. "Not so fast-I'm activating Command Silencer, which negates your attack and allows me to draw one card."

_Ah. Excellent move-_

_-I should probably pay more attention to her cards…_

He lifted his eyes from the curve of her neck to meet her own, which fairly shone with anticipation. A thrill of victory-

Ishizu moved one card from the top of her deck into her hand.  _Gadget Soldier…_

"And now, I can use Kaiser Sea Horse's special effect-I can sacrifice it to summon a light-type monster in place of two tributes-and summon  _your_  favorite monster, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

 _What the hell_ … Seto watched, almost disbelievingly, as Ishizu placed  _his_  Blue-Eyes on the field. Their two creatures at an impasse. Evenly matched.

_She had the gall to summon-_

Part of him seethed slightly under the surface, he gritting his teeth together as his hands moved to clench the seat of his chair as Ishizu merely looked at him, her eyebrows raised questioningly.

 _My monster-_ my  _Blue-Eyes-how dare she-_

Part of him, though-

He blinked several times in rapid succession, willing himself to calm down. His shoulders and back to relax, to unknot. His hands moving back to the table.

_It was… well…_

Seto would be lying if he were to say that Ishizu taking control into her own hands in that instant did not have a certain…  _effect_  on him.

Ishizu watched, eyes wide with surprise, as Seto bowed his head towards her, smoothed the front of his suit jacket, and began to clap slowly. Loudly. The sound echoing throughout the high-ceilinged room.

_Not bad, Ishizu Ishtar._

_Not bad at all…_

* * *

 

"Seto, where are we going?" Ishizu clasped her hands in her lap and looked over at Seto, who leaned back in his seat, fixing his eyes on hers as the limo sped down the gentle foothills of Domino City and into the teeming downtown area, into the swarm of loud noises and amber streetlights.

"My favorite restaurant, Miss Ishtar." His voice was soft. Low. Confident. Almost  _warm_  as he shifted in his seat to turn towards her. His eyes once again transfixed by how the evening sun seemed to light her from within.

Despite her impressive maneuvering and summoning of one of his Blue-Eyes White Dragons, he'd managed to defeat her handily within the next half-hour or so. Still, though, if he were to say he wasn't impressed with what seemed like a fairly natural aptitude for his favorite game-that relic of his proud, foolish youth-he would be telling falsehoods. And  _yes_ , once the game had finished Seto  _had_  excused himself up to his rooms for a nice,  _long_  cold shower-but again,  _nothing_  to do with Ishizu Ishtar. Nothing in the slightest.

On a whim he had decided to take her out. Found her standing in the room he had dedicated to the display his art collection. She'd been eyeing the Chuck Close painting on the wall-the massive portrait coalescing into something logical from far away, but merely abstract pools of color from where she stood-and cleared his throat.

"Miss Ishtar." Willing himself to keep calm as he regarded her. Her form. The look on her face as she turned towards him, her hair falling gracefully about her shoulders and face.

"Might I request your presence this evening?"

Ishizu had nodded, eyes neutral. Unsurprised.

"You know where to find me, Seto." She'd turned her back to him then, continuing her study of the painting on the wall.

Ishizu pressed her lips together, a slight twitch of anxiety running in spurts through her.  _His favorite restaurant-oh gods, I'm surely underdressed for something like this-I'm sure it's some hoity-toity place where they won't serve me if I don't look like I own half of the city…_

"Ah, I see…" She dropped her eyes to her lap, wishing she'd thought to wear something a little nicer.  _One of Yugi's dresses…_ Wishing Seto had, in his haste, his sudden excitement at this outing, thought to perhaps warn her of something along these lines.

As if sensing her concern, Seto replied quickly, his eyes scanning her from her sandaled feet to her loose hair, "don't worry, Miss Ishtar-where we're going,  _I'm_ actually the one who's rather  _over_ dressed…" He leaned forward in his seat to take off his suit jacket, folding it and laying it neatly on the armrest between them, then reached up to untie his tie, sliding the silken fabric out of its perfectly tied knot before he rolled it up adeptly, placing it on top of the jacket.

Ishizu watched with an almost morbid fascination as he unfastened the buttons at his wrists before rolling his sleeves up to the elbow, exposing his forearms, all pale and smooth like his hands, then reached upwards once more to unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt, revealing a hint of a white cotton undershirt underneath the fine linen.

She ripped her eyes away-not nearly quickly enough-as Seto noticed her staring at him.

His voice, tinged with curiosity. "Miss Ishtar-do I have something on my shirt?" He looked down at the crisp front of his shirt, fingers scrabbling along the surface, searching for an errant thread-perhaps a stain-?

She swallowed hard, slowly lowering her eyes to his chest-clenching her fists in her lap, smothered by skirts where he couldn't see them-as she tried not to linger for too long.

_I am the one in control here-_

_-remember that-_

A smile curling on her lips almost defensively as she flicked her eyes up to meet his confused gaze.

"Nothing, Seto-I thought there was something there-I must have been mistaken."

_Control._

_Vinegar._

_Ice._

He  _is the one who has already overplayed his hand. Not I._

The limousine pulled over to the curb in front of a ramshackle tenement building, the green awning over the first floor tattered and dirty, blowing in the slight sunset breeze. A storefront, the windowpanes plastered with posters, smudged with handprints.

Ishizu nearly goggled at the sight, her mouth falling open.  _Seto Kaiba-knowing of a place like this-let alone_ enjoying  _a place like this?_

"We're here, Mr. Kaiba."

 _Thank you for stating the obvious, Roland._  Seto rolled his eyes as he replied, "you'll be picking us up in one hour, Roland."

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."

Seto unbuckled his seatbelt with swift fingers, opened the door and climbed out of the backseat, Ishizu's eyes almost subconsciously moving-lingering-over his form-she jumping slightly, startled, as he turned and bent over to look back inside. "The coast is clear, Miss Ishtar-though I am not  _entirely_  surprised, as the paparazzi wouldn't exactly place me  _here_ , of all places…"

Ishizu licked her lips, feeling a flutter of nervousness- _that's all it is-_ tear through her as she opened her door and exited the vehicle.

As the limousine pulled away from the curb, Ishizu turned to face the front of the building, studying its almost dilapidated state, her forehead crinkling slightly in confusion.

_Again-how would Seto Kaiba, the CEO of KaibaCorp, know of such a place?_

She inhaled sharply as she felt Seto's hand on the small of her back. Not like he had touched her before, there, so many times prior-confident, pressing, taking ownership-but almost like the brush of tentative feathers.

Even though he had touched her there while leading her through throngs of reporters and photographers, his naked palm on her bare skin-the way his fingers almost cradled her spine now, through the fabric of her dress,  _affected_  her more. Again. That  _shiver._  Her skin erupting into gooseflesh.

She could only pray to all the gods that he wouldn't notice…

She lifted her head towards him abruptly as Seto removed his hand, his eyes wide and almost apologetic. "Ah-I'm sorry, Miss Ishtar-I only meant to guide you inside-"

_I shouldn't have assumed it was all right to-after all, we aren't putting on any act-_

"I-it's fine, Seto." Her back, against  _all_  reason, suddenly  _missing_  that gentle pressure of his touch…

Yet Seto did not replace his hand. His brow furrowing for a moment as he regarded her.

 _I_ do  _hope she isn't falling ill… she is acting_ rather  _strangely…_

Then turning and walking to the front of the building, Ishizu following closely behind as their bodies fell into shadow under the threadbare awning as Seto pulled open the door and stepped aside to allow her to pass through.

First she heard it, squinting her eyes to adjust to the sudden dim lighting of the place. A hum of voices, all talking over one another firmly, almost excitedly, the sounds coalescing into not entirely unpleasant background noise. Almost comforting. As her eyes grew used to the darkness, she could make out a narrow, deep room all panelled in cheap-looking wood. A mess of tables, all filled with customers-packed to the brim with people sitting over bowls, their faces half-obscured by steam. A thick, savory smell permeating the air-almost strong enough to taste.

Seto's lips at her ear unexpectedly, sending her heart into uneven palpitations- _of surprise-of fear-_  "this way, Miss Ishtar-" and she bit the inside of her cheek, willing her shoulder muscles to unclench as she followed him deeper into the restaurant, feeling compressed as the space between the walls grew narrow.

He gestured to an impossibly tiny round table replete with two wobbly-looking chairs. "Here-" He pulled out one of the chairs, looking at her pointedly while she stood.

_Just sit down already, Seto-no need to-_

A strange thought occurred to her-

_-oh-he means for me to sit-_

_-what a gesture-_

Ishizu bowed her head in silent acknowledgement as she gracefully lowered herself into the rickety chair, crossing her legs at the ankle and folding her hands in her lap as Seto took his seat across from her, hands trembling slightly with anticipation-

 _I do hope she likes this place_ …

Seto stiffened slightly as he felt the softness of her thigh-for that was how small the table was-give way against his rather bony knee.  _Not now-not now-dammit-_

"Is there a menu, Seto…?" Ishizu's voice trailed off as a small, reed-thin man wearing a slightly yellowed apron approached their table; Seto almost  _smiled_  at the man, lazily lifting two fingers; the man nodded his head curtly and walked away from the table, disappearing into the darkness from where he had emerged.

Again.  _That smile-_

Seto looked almost  _relaxed_  in his seat, leaning back a bit as he replied: "Ah-no, Miss Ishtar-they really  _are_  known for their hakata ramen here-in fact, it's rather out of the ordinary if someone asks to see a menu, let alone attempt to order something else…"

"I see." Ishizu shifted slightly in her seat, her knee knocking against his, sending a wave of electricity through her spine, settling below her belly.  _Blast-_

"Ah-I'm sorry, Seto…" She pressed her lips together, attempting to regain control over her senses.  _I cannot think about this now-entertain such a possibility-_

_-it was only a dream-_

"And how do you know this place?"

At her question, Seto's eyes narrowed, his posture growing rigid as he gripped the seat of his chair tightly. "I believe I told you last night, Miss Ishtar, that I did not want to discuss matters related to my childhood. This is such a matter."  _She doesn't need to know why I know this restaurant-why I would come here as a child-_

_-hiding-_

Ishizu felt an unpleasant squeezing in her chest as she looked down at her hands, a flutter of remorse doing bizarre things to her stomach. "Ah. I apologize, Seto."

_-why do I care why or how the asshole found out this place?_

_-what is going_ on  _with me-?_

They sat there like that, the din of the clientele slowly enveloping them with sound, until the clatter of two large bowls of ramen being placed on the table disrupted their own antiparallel lines of thinking: Ishizu stewing, wondering just  _why_  Seto's withholding of information was  _disturbing_ her so, Seto cursing his acid tongue-his reflexive cruel coldness.

"Thank you," Seto muttered quietly, fumbling for his chopsticks and splitting them apart cleanly, hardly a splinter to be seen.

_Have I ever heard him thank anyone before-? Genuinely? Sincerely?_

_Like a human being…?_

As Seto sniffed in the fragrant steam from the bowl of noodles and strips of meat, Ishizu broke apart her chopsticks and rubbed them together briskly, trying to keep her hands-and mind-occupied.

Seto licked his lips, eyes suddenly warm-wide with delight-as he began to eat, capturing clumps of thin white noodles between his chopsticks and placing them into his mouth.

 _God. This is_ exactly  _what I needed-_

He could nearly always count on this little hole-in-the-wall joint to ameliorate, if not entirely cure, the toxic, roiling frustration of a particularly trying day at the office.

And before the office-

-even those days-

And thus far, he'd managed to do it for years unseen. Unmobbed.  _Perhaps the paparazzi don't much like this part of town…_  He smirked to himself as he watched Ishizu carefully place a good-size clump of noodles between her lips, the steam making her eyes water.

The  _look_  on her face as she  _tasted…_  chewed, swallowed… her cheeks slightly shiny from the heat, that wide, almost beaming grin that appeared on her features as she  _clearly_ and thoroughly enjoyed the rich flavors...

_No one should be allowed to look quite like that when they are eating ramen-_

But alas, Seto Kaiba did not run the world-or write its rules to suit his will.

 _I have to hand it to him-he_ does  _have good taste in_ some  _things-ramen included-_

As Ishizu let out a quiet, throaty noise of satisfaction, her eyes watching him carefully to gauge his reaction, he found himself shifting in his seat uncomfortably once more, almost cursing aloud as his leg bumped hers again.

He found his voice, recovering quickly as he placed a piece of pork between his lips, chewed, and swallowed, "do you like it, Miss Ishtar?"

_The ramen, dammit-_

_-I_ must  _get my thoughts under control-dammit all to Hell-_

Ishizu almost giggled to herself at the nearly awestruck look on his face as she lifted her eyes to him quickly. Her mouth twitching as if struggling to hide the hint of a  _genuine_  grin.

"Yes-very much so, Seto Kaiba."

* * *

 

Seto paused at the doorway to the bedroom, Ishizu looking up at him from underneath thick lashes, leaning against the door, her expression perfectly neutral-

-almost expectant.

He swallowed hard.  _Is it even proper for me to ask-_

_-does she want me to-_

Her behavior in the limousine had confused him once more. Rather than the effusive, almost  _tender_  manner in which she'd addressed him the previous night- _oh god, last night-_ she hadn't spoken a word to him. Hadn't so much as looked at him, her posture in the backseat perfectly straight, hands folded in her lap as usual, her skirt flowing smoothly over her thighs- _don't think about her thighs-_ her neck tense as she gazed out her window. Watching the city pass before her eyes. Observing.

Ignoring his presence.

As he so deserved, after all…

Looking down at her then, feeling temptation saturate his every fiber as she shifted slightly against the door, he could have  _sworn_  he saw a small, almost- _flirtatious?-_ smile flit across her features as she asked, her voice soft, trailing down the back of his neck  _most_  distractingly:

"Please-Seto- _one_  more night-would you stay with me?"

Her hands moving to clasp in front of her, squeezing tightly.

_One more night-_

_-that's all I need-_

_I_ will  _do it tonight, by all the gods-_

_Tonight._

She cocked her head to the side, noticing the way his eyes dipped to her neck momentarily as he visibly shuddered, shoving his hands in his pockets, hoping to steady himself.

"Ah-of course, Miss Ishtar…"

* * *

 

He felt her shift beside him in the bed. A tiny moan issuing from her lips as she rolled from her side onto her back, the coverlet and sheets slipping down to reveal her breasts as he dared to look out of the corner of his eyes-

As if he  _hadn't_  been having a devil of a time trying to fall asleep next to this  _impossible_  woman-

"Seto…" he felt her whisper shakily. Thickly.  _Needily._ Her lips suddenly by his neck. The hairs on the back of his neck standing at attention. His entire body practically screaming at the sound of her voice, his skin  _responding_  to that soft breath of hers as it woke every cell in his body, him uttering a slight groan in response before he could stop himself.

Then-

Her delicate, elegant hand. Suddenly on his chest. Playing idly with one of the buttons of his shirt as she scooted closer to him in the bed. The plushness of her body- _so damned close_  to his-

Then she was sitting up, her hair tumbling around her shoulders, eyes sleepily seductive as she moved her fingers to his belt buckle.

"May I…?" she murmured quietly. As she had the night of the dinner with Pegasus, her fingers scrabbling at his tie. Everything flooding back.

As a sliver of moonlight crossed her face, Seto could feel the warmth radiating from her cheeks. The incredible lines and planes of her neck and collarbones coming into sharp relief.

"Ishizu…" Seto gulped hard, disbelief and arousal soaking through his mind in opposition. His hands by his sides shaking as he fought to keep them still. From moving to her hips. Her thighs. To run his hands along her soft flesh. To make it  _his_. Run his nails over the surface of her skin-to leave a trail of goosebumps the likes of which currently electrified every square inch of him-

_She does-_

_-she really does want this-_

_-she's not drunk-_

He closed his eyes briefly, offering a silent prayer to no one in particular, for he was not one to pray, as her nimble fingers slid his belt out of the loops and let the fine leather drop to the floor.

Then another perfectly  _wanton-sounding_  moan from her as she moved to straddle him, his inner thighs cradling his legs firmly as she reached out her hands to his and lifted them to her waist. Seto almost gasping as his thumbs dug into the curves there, holding her steady against his hips-against him-as she moved to unbutton his his shirt.

He let out a deep, breathy groan as she ground her hips against his.

" _Seto_ …" her voice slightly louder-more insistent-quavery.

-all Seto could do was nod feverishly in response, all hopes at breathing evenly, of holding any cards to the vest left abandoned-

 _-this is_ happening _-_

_-my god-_

In several careful, swift motions she had stripped him of his shirt and undershirt and let those fall to the carpeted floor on top of the discarded belt. Her lips parting as she took him in, her tongue peeking out as she licked her lips hungrily, her darkened eyes surrounded by fluttering lashes.

And then somehow she'd moved onto her back, pulling him to crouch above her, one of his knees between her legs as she tugged his pants down his legs. Smiling with satisfaction as she moved her fingers to the waistband of his boxers, seemingly relishing the way he positively  _shivered_ under her precise touch.

"Seto-"

He opened his eyes, meeting her half-lidded gaze. His chest twisting in a vise. Hardly able to breathe as he took her in-the soft, graceful lines of her body-her confident, fluid motions-

She lifted her hands from his boxers and reached for one of his hands. Dragged it down her body. To the apex of her thighs.

He nearly yelped as his fingers brushed against cotton.

Her voice, agonized. Wanting.  _Desperate_. Almost coming out like a cry.

" _Please-touch me-_ "

And then his eyes opened, he barely suppressing a shout as he nearly fell out of the bed, his entire body drenched in a cold sweat. His shoulders rising and lowering shakily, his chest heaving as he slowly blinked himself into full consciousness.

_My god-was that-_

He was still wearing his clothes. Belt still buckled around his waist.

Ishizu was curled up, faced away from him, her bare back visible to him, the blanket only coming up to her waist. Her breathing even. Rhythmic. The little snorts she made in her sleep almost endearing.

_-that-_

_-it was just a dream-_

_-only a dream-_

He flopped onto his back, attempting to catch his breath-to ignore the  _demanding_  feeling coursing throughout his entire body.

_I most certainly-_

_-without a doubt-_

_-crossed over into the very utmost depths of Hell a_ long  _time ago._


	7. Violet Rose

_This is getting ridiculous-_

Ishizu uncurled herself from her catlike sleeping position and sat up slowly, rolling her shoulders back, stretching her neck, feeling tendrils of hair cling to her shoulders.

His shoes, coat and tie gone.  _Of course._

As they had been each morning when she'd woken up. For the past several days now.

Each morning she had let him live.

_Utterly ridiculous. This-_

Waking up to an empty bed.

Waking up and knowing she hadn't managed to  _do it._

Waking up after nights of sound sleeping, her breaths rhythmic, falling in time, coalescing with his. Growing accustomed to the slight rumbling noises he made while he gradually succumbed to slumber, she only half-conscious of his eyes, trained on her bare back each night, before his eyelids fluttered shut. Knowing  _precisely_  what he was thinking as he gazed at her nakedly.

Nights of  _dreaming_  of him-of the man in the bed beside her, his ice-blue eyes closed, the hard line of his jaw softened, the pride in his brow rendered into innocence.

Those  _dreams_.

Without fail, they had visited her in the multiples every night. Each more descriptive and  _yearning_  than the last.

Dreams where she could  _feel_  his mouth on her neck. Trailing down her belly. Tickling her, making her giggle despite herself.  _Kissing_ her. Between her thighs. The flickering, all-consuming heat rising in tremulous waves, threatening to burn her alive with their raw  _need._

His hands on her breasts. Waist. Hips. Rear. Fingers gently smoothing over  _every_  inch of her. Nails digging in possessively around each patch of flesh. As if he would  _never_  get enough of worshipping her body in this way.

His eyes half-lidded and focused. Warm in ways she only had glimpsed in errant moments. The blue both clear and dark, startling in their openness. Evident  _want_.  _Desire._  All those words that sent shivers licking electrically throughout her body. His every action performed seemingly in her thrall, yet still  _controlling_  her every reaction in the way that only lovers do. Anticipating. Listening.  _Understanding_.

Then-

Completion. Blissful release. Long-awaited, tortured and  _necessary-_

-all because of  _him._

What Seto Kaiba, the most ruthless and cruel man she'd ever had the displeasure of knowing, confidently and lusciously coaxed out of her body as she dreamt it all. As if he'd done  _this_ with her thousands of times, each with all the excitement, tenderness and utter  _joy_  of the first.

_That bastard._

_-agonizing nightmares, the lot of them-_

Each leaving her shuddering, nearly crying out, forcing her to bite her pillow so as not to wake him-

Each leaving her more wanting than the last-

Each adding to her frustration when he refused to succumb to what he  _clearly_  wanted as well-instead of  _jumping_  her, already-making this  _easier_  for her to bear-

And knowing, each and every morning when she woke up to find the bed empty, her bedmate already awoken and departed, that something within her had shifted. Her resolve weakened and weakening further.

_I will kill him._

_I will…_

Her mantra sounding ever more hollow in her ears.

The searing  _hatred_  she bore for him nebulously and dangerously shifting form. Morphing into something  _far_  more dangerous and disgusting. Harder to manage than the carefully stoked fires of rage. Difficult to control-

-impossible to deny.

She could only hope he was truly as dense in this arena as he seemed to be. That those intelligent eyes couldn't  _see_  the restless arousal as it coursed through her each time she looked at him-each time she caught him looking at her much the same way every time she stripped before him, the motions of her body fluid and graceful-almost like a dancer. Each time she continued her attempts to egg him on to the point where he  _couldn't_  resist-couldn't hold out the way he had  _somehow_  been managing to all this time.

It had to only be a matter of time, she thought, forehead crinkling as she came to a child's pose in the massive bed, releasing a drawn-out sigh as the muscles in her back tensed and relaxed.

_Only a matter of time before he gives in-_

Succumbed. To the irresistible qualities she possessed and wielded in full. The flash of her eyes, the curve of her lips, the line of her neck-

-innocence and unconscious seductiveness incarnate-

- _not to mention the whole part where I'm sleeping beside him nearly naked-_

- _as well as eating breakfast with him wearing similarly little-_

She endlessly, frustratedly waiting for him to give her what she now  _knew_ she wanted-irrefutably. To her core.

_Him._

In  _that_  way.

For several days now.

Twisting  _temptingly_  within her. The idea. How  _easy_  it would be to just-

_I must do something about this quickly and effectively-_

_-before he realizes-_

_-tries to use this against me-_

_-I can always kill him while he sleeps. Remember that-_

She let out a frustrated groan, rolling onto her back and burying her face in her hands, as she heard that familiar knock. Those three sharp sounds again.

 _Rap-rap-rap_ -

 _This again._   _Of course._

"Coming…" Voice deceptively light. Harmless.

She licked her lips as she climbed out of the bed, walking with long strides to the dresser, where she ran her hands over the smooth wood thoughtfully, pulling each drawer open in rapid succession as she dug through the seemingly-endless piles of clothing Yugi-as per Seto's request, naturally-had provided for her.

She had, however, run out of button-downs.

She rummaged around in the bottom drawer until her palm brushed against something slick and silky. Withdrawing the garment-a cream-colored camisole edged with lace-she held it out before her, then slid it over her head and shoulders, smoothing it down her torso, nothing that the hem  _barely_  came to her navel, revealing a good couple inches of exposed skin between the camisole and the line of her panties around her hips.

_Excellent._

A thrill suddenly tore through her as she pictured the way he would look when he saw her like this-her skin breaking out in ripples of merciless gooseflesh as her knees nearly buckled, forcing her to lean on the dresser for support. Her fingers clenching the soft dark wood. Nails digging in, nearly leaving curved impressions.

_Rap-rap-rap-_

Slightly more impatient. In a more rapid succession.

"One moment…" she managed.  _Blast-_

_I am the one in control-_

_-not he-_

She straightened up and adjusted the camisole one more time before walking over to the door and pulling it open.

"Good morning, Seto…"

 _Christ._  Seto gnawed on his lower lip, fingers gripping the tray so hard he nearly lost circulation as looked down at her, that pathetic excuse for a shirt advertising the  _precise_  shape of her breasts beneath the thin, shiny fabric.

Fabric practically  _begging_  to be touched.

For his fingers to slide underneath and  _stroke-_

Ishizu biting back a ragged breath as she  _felt_ him react to her choice in attire. His eyes brightening and widening as untold  _ideas_  doubtlessly ran through his mind.

- _ideas I dare not linger upon-_

He cleared his throat, fully aware that it would do little, if any, good at this point. "Good morning, Miss Ishtar."

As he had suspected, his voice was verging on hoarse-as if he had been talking for hours prior.

"Breakfast?" She cocked her head and gazed up at him, her eyes wide and round. As if the conscious choice to dress this way was anything but. As if she did this sort of thing all the time.  _All part of the game._

"Indeed." Seto swallowed a yawn as he stood in the doorway, head quite suddenly light and throbbing, his eyesight slightly bleary, his every joint still stiff from the lack of sleep over the previous several nights.

_How could I have slept, what with the way she-_

_-moaned_.

In her sleep. Longingly.  _Loudly._   _Repeatedly_. As if she were giving voice to the very temptations that scurried behind his eyelids when he  _did_  manage to sleep-

Her lips curved upwards sweetly as she looked him over, stepping aside to allow him to cross the threshold and closing the closing the door behind him quietly.

Seto took a deep, calming breath as he laid the tray on the coffee table and took his seat, watching Ishizu walk towards him, her tread almost imperceptibly shaky, hips swaying subtly, his eyes flickering from her thighs to her exposed stomach, traveling upwards and lingering along her curves.

She lowered herself into her seat as if she were wearing a fine ball gown: all poise and elegance-as if she  _weren't_  nearly bare before him. Crossed her legs at the ankles, her thighs falling apart; as Seto watched intently, as if the way her muscles moved was of the  _utmost_  interest to him, she leaned forward and poured herself a cup of coffee, her hair falling over her shoulders and framing her face.

Tongue loose and heavy. Scrambling for something to say-anything to distract himself from the liquid, whisper-soft  _need_  alighting on every cell of his body. "I wanted to bring you your breakfast before I left for the office, as usual."  _What a useless thing to say-I did the same exact thing yesterday-and the day before-_

As if he'd been  _all_  that productive at the office the last few days-instead of the necessary facts and figures about somesuch trade deal or this particular missile patent on his fingertips, flowing from between his lips confidently and precisely, he'd-

-been  _occupied_.

_That's one way of putting it-_

It had been so desperately  _awful_  the previous day-the  _sensations_  that he'd suddenly been prey to, the imagined feel of her tentative, smooth  _fingers-_ her lovely  _mouth-_ he'd considered taking a holiday-the first in his ten-plus years as KaibaCorp CEO. Considered snarling at everyone present at the contemporaneous meeting and rushing out in a furious huff. Briefly entertained  _firing_  everyone on the floor just to be able to feel  _some_  modicum of power over  _something-_

"Yes-thank you very much, by the way." Ishizu leaned over once more and buttered a perfectly  _heavenly-smelling_  blueberry muffin, her movements careful and neat as she lifted the pastry to her lips.

As she bit in, she briefly considered the merits of accompanying the consumption of said rather  _delicious_  muffin with a bit of theater. Seto's eyes  _were_  glued to her-seemingly rendered immobile in his chair up to the point where he hadn't been able to look away from her long enough to pour himself his customary cup of coffee.

_Let's make him squirm a bit before work, shall we?_

She chewed on the sweet bite for a few moments, allowing her eyelids to flutter shut for a moment in evident pleasure.

 _Does she even_ know  _what she's doing-dammit-_

Seto coughed quietly, his fingernails digging into the cushion of the chair as he crossed his legs stiffly.

Ishizu almost rolled her eyes at how  _damned_  easy he was as she swallowed.

_Facile, Seto Kaiba. Absolutely facile. It's a wonder you haven't given in already…_

She leaned forward once more, placing the muffin on its plate, before slowly straightening up in her seat, rounding, then arching her back, lifting her hands above her head as if to stretch- _feeling_  Seto's fervent gaze centering around her lap-her waist-her hips-as the silky camisole rode up on her torso an inch or two. Letting out a slight groan in the process-emitting throatily from deep within her.

As she recovered and relaxed, she smiled innocently at him and bent down to retrieve the muffin, biting off another chunk as a thread of frustration tugged at her mind.

_I will destroy him. And take KaibaCorp down in the process._

_-I need to get access to his personal study-perhaps there will be_ something  _there that could prove useful to me-_

_-blasted cameras guarding the place day and night-how can I-_

_-perhaps-_

"I was wondering, Seto-might I be able to call my brothers for just a  _few_  minutes before you leave?" Her voice demure. Quiet. Laced through with  _just_ enough worry for Seto to take notice.

_-if this works-_

Seto thought for a moment.  _I don't have_ that  _much time-but-_

"Well, if you're quick about getting ready-and make it a short call-" The words had barely left his lips before Ishizu had swallowed a tiny, devious smile, risen to her feet, and walked over to her dresser to withdraw clean panties and a knee-length white dress; as he couldn't help but watch, helplessly-utterly transfixed-Ishizu turned her back to him and stripped, sliding her panties down her legs smoothly and quickly, before stepping into the dress and pulling it up her body, guiding her arms through the thin straps and securing the side zipper.

As she lifted the airy skirt of the dress to allow her to pull up the clean pair of panties, she looked towards him over her shoulder, eyelids lowered  _just_  a touch. A buried hint of teasing in her voice.

"… you were saying?"

* * *

 

Ishizu dialed the number to the Ishtar apartment and held the phone to her ear, scowling at Seto's back from where she could see him, perfectly suited and buttoned-up, in the sitting room's antechamber, one hand resting on the wooden table, the other holding his extension.

_The asshole insists on listening again? Fine by me-_

Marik, just freshly showered, towel around his waist, a granola bar in one hand, answered the phone on the first ring, cheeks heating up with relief as the mysterious blocked number- _the almighty Seto Kaiba has to hide his own phone number, of course-_ appeared on the phone screen once again. "Ishizu- _-thank the gods_ -I'm  _so_  happy to hear from you again-" He adjusted his glasses and tore the wrapper off the granola bar with his teeth, taking a large bite of his makeshift breakfast, his eyes welling up with tears.  _If that bastard has even looked at her the wrong way, I swear on Ra's name-_

Ishizu cut him off, weaving a strand of hushed concern into her voice, keeping an eye on Seto's form from where he stood, back still turned to her. "Marik-how's Odion? Is he…  _well_?"

_If this works-_

_-if I can pull this off-_

Marik thought about their brother-Odion's painfully clear stress levels rising ever since Ishizu had been  _taken_  by that rich  _asshole_ -with his moneyed arrogance and unbearable cruelty-how Odion had  _raged_  upon missing Ishizu's phone call from several days earlier-worryingly uncharacteristic for the stoic man-

"No, Ishizu-no, he's  _not_ -and neither am  _I_ , for that matter-"

She interrupted him once more, her voice growing more urgent. A trace of grave fear. "I meant  _physically,_ Marik-wasn't he supposed to have some  _tests_  done this week?" In her lap, where she knew Seto couldn't possibly see, she crossed her fingers amidst the white folds of fabric,  _praying_ to every god she could think of in that moment that Marik wouldn't say anything to contradict the groundwork she was trying to lay-with Seto listening in on the extension, any misplaced word from Marik could ruin  _everything-_

Seto gave a slight start at Ishizu's words.  _She didn't mention anything about any tests for her brother…_

- _then again, why would she have told me-?_

Marik ran a hand through his sopping wet hair, cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder as he stumbled around his bedroom, trying to get ready for the day's work at the shop, as his brow furrowed with confusion. "Tests? Ishizu?"  _What can she possibly mean?_

Ishizu gritted her teeth, keeping her voice merely worried, hiding all traces of annoyance as she continued. "Yes, Marik.  _Tests_ -didn't he tell you? He told me back when I was at school…"

_I am sorry to cause you undue worry, brother…_

_-I hope you'll forgive me-_

Marik swallowed hard, the granola bar suddenly tasting sour as his heart rate began to pick up, rattling in his chest unmercifully.  _Tests-a physical test-?_

_What could Odion be hiding from me? What would he have told Ishizu that he wouldn't have told me?_

"I-Ishizu… what did he  _say_  to you? He never told me anything a-about a  _test_ …" Marik managed to choke out from around his mouthful of food, collapsing onto his futon, hands starting to shake as he gripped the towel around his waist with one hand, pushing his glasses up his nose with the other hand.  _What isn't Odion telling me?_

Ishizu huffed out a silent breath, taking care to make sure none of her growing irritation was audible on either end of the phone call. "Well-Marik-it's not  _really_  for me to  _say-_ just please, tell him I will be calling him tomorrow morning at this same time, all right?" She adjusted her position on the couch, wrapping one hand around her middle almost pitifully as Seto, eyes narrowed with bewilderment, turned around to gaze at her from where he stood.

_-hopefully by then I will have gotten the bastard to let me into his office-_

Seto's eyes traveled along her form, he noting the wetness of her eyes and the blooming redness of her nose, as if she were struggling to hold back  _tears_.

Something painful tugged at him as he heard Marik reply on the other end of the line, the younger man's voice thick and quavery.

"A-ah, of course, Sister-I'll make sure he's home when you call. A-all right?" Marik sniffled loudly, panic beginning to scream in his veins as he wiped furiously at his eyes.  _First Ishizu-now something with Odion, too? Gods-what rotten luck-just awful-_

Ishizu closed her eyes, allowing her back and shoulder muscles to unclench.  _Thank the gods. He didn't press too much-didn't manage to ruin it-_

" _Thank you_ , Marik. I-I have to go now-Seto needs to go to work… I love you  _so_  much-and,  _of course_ , give my love to Odion as well-"

"O-of course, Ishizu-I love you  _so_ much-I hope you can come  _home_  soon-we miss you so much-" Marik's voice trembled as he furiously fought to keep ever more tears from running down his cheeks, landing like hot drops of acid on his chest, swiping his eyes with the pad of his thumb almost violently.

"I know, Brother… I wish I could come home as well." Ishizu hung up the call and, while Seto watched warily, jaw and chest tight with something resembling genuine concern, she dropped the phone onto the coffee table, briefly wiping imaginary tears from her eyes with the backs of her hands.

 _I_ do  _hope nothing is wrong with her brother_ -

Seto almost felt sick as he approached her, observing the way Ishizu's shoulders seemed to sag under the weight of misery. Gnawing on her lip.  _Desperately_  trying not to cry-

- _she doesn't want to cry in front of me-_

_-she doesn't know I've already seen her-_

As Seto swallowed hard, debating the merits of reaching out a hand to her shoulder in some likely misguided attempt to offer comfort, he was startled by a clear female voice calling to him. Voice crisp. Clear. Suffering no fools.

"Mr. Kaiba, sir? May I please speak with you for a moment?"

Téa Gardner, standing in the doorway of the sitting room, arms folded sternly across her chest. Eyes watching him carefully. Observing his body language towards Ishizu. The way his hand twitched at his side, as if he were considering  _touching_  her. With her clearly bereft for some reason or another, the skin around her eyes gone all puffy and pinkish.

Her features revealing the barest hint of-disappointment?

_-could that be right-?_

Seto raised an eyebrow questioningly as he left Ishizu's side, she staring at her folded hands, sitting completely still as Seto approached his household chief of staff.

"Miss Gardner? Is everything all right? Something with one of the servants, perhaps?" He shoved his hands into his pockets as he came to face her in the doorway, their eyes nearly level.

Téa's eyes grew cold as she reached out abruptly and grabbed his jacket collar, pulling him around the corner, her voice coming out in low stops and starts. "Mr. Kaiba- _please_  forgive me if it is out of line for me to say such things-but I've been hearing some awfully  _troubling_  rumors from the cleaning girls-rumors surrounding your behavior towards Miss Ishtar-you-leaving her room at odd hours, not returning to your own quarters at night-"

 _I wouldn't have believed it myself-not of Mr. Kaiba-but the way he_ looked  _at her just now-_

Ishizu looked up from her lap, ears prickling as she heard her own name.  _What-_

She silently rose from the couch, keeping her breathing perfectly level and inaudible, as she crept along the carpeted floor to stand just across the threshold of the sitting room, where she could hear Téa delivering what sounded like a rather stern-exasperated, even-lecture to her employer.

She flattened her ear against the wall, willing the wild beating of her heart to calm down.  _Téa-could you really be-_

Seto inhaled sharply, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the woman before him.  _Nothing ever stays damned private in this house, all right-_

Téa's voice now rose considerably in volume and intensity, her cheeks coloring a slight pink. "And to  _think_ , Mr. Kaiba-when Miss Ishtar asked me about you-I  _defended you-your character-_ and  _here_  you  _are,_ taking advantage of the  _poor girl-_ using her for  _god_  knows what-" She crossed her arms once more, shoulders knotting almost painfully as she dug her nails into her palms.

Ishizu almost smiled at the tongue-lashing Seto Kaiba seemed to be receiving, most unceremoniously, from the woman who was arguably his most invaluable employee.

_I see-Téa wasn't lying after all-_

" _If he were to so much as touch you he'd have a riot on his hands…"_

Yugi's words from earlier in the week came floating back to her, when he'd taken her face in his hands almost protectively:

_"I trust my employer, Ishizu. And I know the kind of man he is. But-if you feel-if he does anything to hurt you, anything at all…"_

The promise he'd implicitly made.

_So begins the riot, it seems-_

Seto's eyes widened, a slight panic the likes of which Téa had never heard from her employer creeping into his strangled voice. "No-Miss Gardner- _please_  understand-it's nothing  _like_ that-"

_How to make it not sound like a lie-ridiculous as the truth is-_

"You  _do_  realize that Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Taylor  _do_  tell me when they see certain  _things_  on the camera you so  _kindly_  had installed in her  _bedroom-things like her stripping her damned clothes for you-you sleeping in her bed-_ the  _sounds_  they hear coming through the speaker, Mr. Kaiba-" Téa stopped for a moment, her breaths coming in rough and uneven, her usually-perfect composure nearly  _completely_  shattered to glassy shards with rage.

"And-and if you think  _I'm_  upset with you, Mr. Kaiba-I pray you, don't even  _bother_ trying to get anything out of Yugi-"

She'd told the tailor what she'd overheard. What the two confused security guards had told her. About Ishizu. About Seto. About the strangeness of what seemed to be transpiring. The unfathomably  _dirty_ ,  _prurient_  nature of it all-

The look in Yugi's eyes had been positively  _vicious._

_To think I defended Mr. Kaiba-_

"Ah- _that_ -" Seto's stomach churned most unpleasantly as he scratched the back of his neck, eyes wandering around the corridor-anywhere but the shining, impossibly angry eyes of his household chief of staff-

"Miss Gardner-have I  _ever_  lied to you?" He began shakily, struggling to get the words out cogently and coherently, as Téa regarded him with a mixture of disapproval and skepticism.

"No, Mr. Kaiba-you have not-"

"Then even though it seems nearly impossible to believe-I have a hard time understanding it all myself-believe me when I tell you this- _there is nothing of that nature going on between us._  Every move she's made that may  _seem_ a certain way has been  _entirely her idea,_ I  _promise_ you. I've only been sleeping in her bed-well-"

Téa moved her hands to her hips, her keen eyes scanning his face carefully and suspiciously. "Because  _why_ , Mr. Kaiba?"

Seto chewed on his lower lip, almost feeling ashamed as he spoke quietly, as if the words were struggling to leave his mouth, to be acknowledged and given voice. Saying the them making them-their intentions-the emotions behind them-terrifyingly  _true._

"Because-well-because she  _asked_  me to."

Ishizu's chest felt incredibly heavy and sinking at his words. Like a hand had peeled apart her ribcage and grasped hold of the fast-beating winged thing inside. Dragging it downwards.

_What does he mean by that-_

Téa's mouth became a hard, thin line. Her eyes stony and bright as she leaned towards him, her voice almost a hiss.  _He cannot possibly mean-_

"Mr. Kaiba-you  _cannot_  allow yourself to-" She stopped, words beginning to stumble over one another most shamefully. Looking at him with a modicum of pity, her gaze sweeping over from from his slightly ruffled hair, his narrowed eyes glittering with self-loathing-the way he kept swallowing in rapid succession, as if hoping to suppress something-the pinkness leaking into his cheeks and need-his tense posture-his defeated-sounding voice ringing hollow in her ears.

_Mr. Kaiba-what have you gotten yourself into-?_

She almost felt sorry for her employer-as powerful as he was-as hardhearted as he could be at times-

"I have to get to the office, Miss Gardner. Is there anything else?" His voice suddenly brusque. Businesslike. Controlled. His eyes palest blue. Revealing nothing. Certainly not the mess of complicated emotions threatening to eviscerate him from within.

Téa replied, her voice hesitant. Still layered with half-abandoned fury. "Mr. Kaiba, there is nothing else to discuss. But I promise you, sir-you  _will_  have trouble on your hands if she is hurt. Do you understand?"

_Rather bold of her to make such a pronouncement-_

_-but she wouldn't make it if she wasn't positive it was true-_

Ishizu gnawed on her lower lip almost to the point of pain, the world spinning before her without pause. Unceasingly.

As Téa fixed him with one last warning glance, turning on her low-heeled shoe and walking away, Ishizu peeled herself off the wall and hastily scrambled back to the couch just as Seto ducked back through the doorway to the sitting room.

"Miss Ishtar-I have to leave for the office now. Mokuba will likely be up in an hour or so. I suggest you challenge him to a duel or two-he'll be glad to see you've picked it up so quickly…" He smoothed the front of his suit jacket and bowed his head to her courteously as he turned and exited the room, his shiny shoes clacking on the hardwood floor of the corridor.

As she heard his footsteps grow fainter and fainter, Ishizu released a deep, heavy breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. Draining her of energy with the exhalation. Pained. Something thick and sluggish in her chest, her limbs suddenly full of exploding, shooting pins and needles as she lifted her legs onto the couch, sliding into a reclining position and coming to stare at the high, wood-beamed ceiling.

_What in blazes-_

_Why does it matter at all what he said?_

The clock ticking on the wall disturbed the perfect, airy silence of the sitting room. Lifting her head to gaze at the round shape, she almost groaned as her temples began to throb from the exertion. The endless trailing of dangerous thoughts round and round.

_Only eight in the morning and already I have a headache…_

* * *

 

"Mokuba, could you please pass me that apple?"

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Ishizu reached out and caught the round, shiny fruit the younger man tossed her from the intricately woven basket adroitly. Took a bite almost savagely, prompting Mokuba to laugh as the juice ran down her chin.

The dappled light of the sunlight streaming in through knotted branches and pointed leaves casting patchy shadows on their skins. On the striped blanket beneath them. The remains of a golden-brown baguette smeared with goat's cheese between them. The air warm and fresh, kissing her arms and neck and face, interspersed with a slight breeze now and then.

Beside the blanket, two yellow ducklings paddled around on the surface of the pond. The greenness of the weeds by the crystal-clear water. The pinkish-white lilies floating like boats, leaving ripples and trails as they drifted.

The rear façade of Kaiba Manor seeming so far away across that endless lawn. Miles away from her. Eons ago. Unable to touch her where she sat in the shade of the tree beside the dark-haired young man. The young man who was watching her finish her apple, she nearly sucking on the core to wring out every last drop of sweet juice, his eyes growing rounder, his forehead more wrinkled and furrowed with worry by the minute.

He'd been awfully silent when she'd found him around midday as she wandered the halls of the house, trying and failing not to get lost, even with one hand always on a wall as an anchoring method. His behavior odd. Surprising. That usual broad grin of his tinged with seriousness. His embrace of her strangely tentative, as if she were made of glass and he was afraid of cracking her through.

His hesitation-his uncharacteristically awkward behavior-as she'd suggested a lunchtime picnic by the duck pond and the grove of trees…

"Ishizu? Can I ask you something?" Mokuba's freckles standing out against his strangely pale face, all traces of his habitual blushing cheeks gone as he twisted a cloth napkin between his fingers.

Ishizu wiped her mouth, tossing the apple core before her onto a patch of exposed dirt. "Of course, Mokuba."  _I do hope he's all right-_

 _-_ despite herself, caring about the well-being of the younger Kaiba had somehow become something she did.

Mokuba scooted closer to her, his gray eyes dark and earnest. "Um… is my brother-I mean, you know-the halls and rooms in this house-they echo. People saying things to each other when they think I can't  _hear_ -"

_This again-_

Ishizu nearly rolled her eyes, stopping herself at the startlingly alarmed look on Mokuba's face.

_If he's heard what Téa heard-_

_-no wonder he would be concerned-_

She recalled the look Solomon had given her when he'd handed her the lunch basket. The way the old man's grizzled features had seemed to be under a dark, humid cloud. He muttering something to himself that she couldn't quite make out. Sensing his pity for her-his disgust for the rumors-in every motion he'd made.

Ishizu cleared her throat; tried a different tack than the one Seto had attempted to use to reason with Téa. "Mokuba-you know your brother better than anyone, don't you?"

Mokuba blinked a few times, eyes dropping to the mangled piece of cloth in his hands. "I mean… yeah-but  _still-_ I wouldn't have thought him to be the kind of person to-"

_To bring you here against your will-_

Ishizu almost felt  _touched_  at the young man's reaction, something like warmth blooming in her chest as she reached out a hand to pat him on the shoulder. His concern and care for her well-being evident as he looked back up at her, his face  _crushed_  under the weight of perplexity. Seeking to understand.

_Unlike some people I could name-_

Though she wouldn't be lying if she were to admit that  _that_  wasn't precisely  _true, either-_

She wetted her lips before she replied. Her voice perfectly even. "Mokuba-I promise, nothing is happening between your brother and me. We're merely-"

_Merely what?_

_He merely sees me practically naked on a daily basis?_

_I merely tease him into oblivion each chance I get?_

_He merely-_

She bit her lip quickly.

- _has some sort of effect on me that I daren't explore?_

_I merely-_

_-aim to end him?_

"We're merely getting to know one another better. After all, he  _did_  ask me to think of myself as a guest-and while  _that_  is certainly not going to be possible for me, given the circumstances, it  _cannot_  hurt to attempt to get to  _know_  him-right?"

_Does that even sound convincing?_

She doubted it.

Mokuba raised an eyebrow briefly. "Ishizu… the  _things_  I've heard-you know, you don't  _have_  to-to  _do_  anything-he  _will_  let you go. You don't have to-"

Ishizu's lips twisted wryly as she caught Mokuba's meaning, delivered as it was in an almost shy, oblique way.  _I guess Tristan and Joey are less subtle than Seto would like them to be-_

"I'm not doing  _anything_  I don't want to do. Your brother has, aside from the whole not-letting-me-leave-thing, been nothing short of a perfect gentleman towards me. You can believe me, right?" She cocked her head towards him as tendrils of hair slipped over one shoulder, coming to frame her face.

Mokuba nodded shakily. "I-I know, Ishizu…"

She squeezed his shoulder affectionately, weaving a layer of humor into her voice as the words tasted bitter on her tongue. "Besides, he's not  _awful_  company-now, don't go telling him I said that, you hear me? He even took me to his favorite restaurant-"

Mokuba's eyes brightened for a moment. "That ramen joint he loves? He  _did_?"

 _He's only ever taken_ me  _there-once or twice-_

_Could it be that my big brother-_

_-could it be-_

Daring not to think of this sort of thing further, he turned to one side and rummaged around in the basket until he found two perfectly round small chocolate cakes, wrapped in plastic wrap. "Dessert?"

Before she could stop herself, her lips curved upwards into a genuine smile as he passed her the chocolate morsel.  _I suppose my sweet tooth and tastes are now common knowledge around this house…_ "Don't mind if I do, Mokuba."

As she bit into the heavenly confection, the rich flourless chocolate making her almost swoon, Mokuba mumbled cautiously around his mouthful of cake:

"Ishizu-you know that if  _anything_  happens-you can  _always_  come to me, okay?"

_Besides-if what the staff said is true-it seems like they wouldn't let it go, either…_

Ishizu ruffled his hair and nodded. "Thank you, Mokuba."

_Another one on my side-_

_-once again, Mokuba Kaiba-_

_-I am sorry for your sake-for what I am going to do._

She finished her cake silently, obstinately trying to ignore the uneasy, wobbling feeling overtaking her as she looked out over the wide verdant lawn once more.

* * *

 

The firelight in the pit illuminating them from below. Beings of half-shadow, half-flame, etched dramatically against the deep black of the night sky.

Their dinner had been quiet. Noticeably so. Both of them chewing on more than exquisitely prepared salmon sashimi as they didn't meet the other's gaze. Seto looking at her, then dropping his eyes back down to his food. Ishizu fumbling with her chopsticks as she  _felt_  him look, then being met with the top of his head as he tilted it downwards, then back upwards as he poured the remains of the savory miso soup down his throat.

No alcohol at their sides this evening. Seto wanting to keep his wits about him. Wanting to make sure she kept hers as well…

_If she tries to kiss me again-_

He didn't dare to entertain the thought further. Couldn't  _bear_  to think of where it might lead-to wandering hands and fingers. Lips. Hers. Enveloped with his-her head thrown back, eyes half-open, pleasure by  _his_  hands running through her every vein, imbuing every cell with endless cycles of  _need_ -for  _him-_

That was as far as he allowed himself to think. On most occasions. He then trying to hide the throaty groan he'd felt burbling from deep within as her bare foot had accidentally tangled with his.

_I have to do something-_

_-lay the groundwork for tomorrow, that is-_

Ishizu had crossed her legs, attempting to hide the discomfort- _that's the word-_ trailing through her, beginning where her thighs met. Squeezing her inner thighs together. Almost gasping aloud when his knee had accidently knocked against hers, her chopsticks nearly clattering to her plate with shock at the  _electricity_  of that simple errant gesture.

Seto now sitting stiffly on one of the low couches, legs crossed,  _desperately_  trying not to reveal the uncontrollable fluttering of his heart within his chest-the way his blood boiled under his skin when he so much as  _looked_  at her. Never understanding why. Never questioning. Never enough. To see her-to drink her in with his eyes-only egged on his thirst.

Ishizu sitting beside him on the other end of the couch, legs tucked underneath her skirt, hands occupied with the tiny teacup of coffee, her skin rippling with goosebumps.  _Because of the chill. The fire. No other reason-_

She felt him drop his eyes to her neck. Her collarbone. Trailing up the side of her face, each bat of his eyelashes like a kiss he so very much wanted to bestow.

"Ishizu-" His voice almost inaudibly quiet.  _Felt_  more than heard. Trailing down her neck and forming a heated coil below her belly.

Low. Husky. Like in her dreams. The endless times she'd heard him groan her voice this way-if only while she slept-

Had he even said anything at all…?

_Blast-_

Something within her tensed endlessly and snapped, her common sense fraying into ribbons as she licked her lips, placing the coffee cup on the table, the porcelain clattering against the smoky glass as she slowly moved closer to him on the couch.

His eyes widening momentarily as he met her thick-lashed, heavy-lidded gaze. The slightly open mouth, lips trembling, the warmth emitting from her body-

The almost shy curve of her lips. "Seto… if I were to tell you that you had a leaf on your jacket-would you believe me?" Her voice a moist whisper ghosting across his skin, laced through with a trace of coyness. Humor. Her hand nonetheless reaching outwards to grasp at the fine material of his suit jacket. Nails running along the lapels almost idly.

Seto chewed on the inside of his cheek before he cracked a sardonic grin despite himself. "Now, Miss Ishtar-I'm rather more clever than that, wouldn't you say?"

He didn't dare to look down.  _Just in case-_

"Perhaps, Seto Kaiba. Perhaps."

Ishizu pressed her lips together. Giving herself one last chance. To run away. To drop it. The matter. Entirely. Surrender the game for the night. Lick her wounds.

To ignore the quivering of her inner thighs at the darkness of his eyes-as he  _devoured_  her. The sparks racing under her skin.  _Need_  pouring into her every fiber, alerting her to its all-consuming presence.  _Nothing to do-_

"Seto."

She lifted her other hand to his lapel, grabbing hold of the fabric, providing herself a handhold as she rose from her seated position beside him on the couch. Seto uncrossing his legs almost reflexively, his breath hitching as she moved to stand before him, then spreading those  _glorious_  thighs apart under her skirts, coming to straddle him. Their hips pressing against one another. Gently.

Then-

" _Seto-_ "

Her voice lighter and heavier all at once. Like he'd dreamt her saying his name- _so many times-dammit-_ as she rocked her hips against his. Making him clutch at the plush couch cushions as if they would save him. Her. Them. From  _this._

She looking down at him. Their faces only inches apart. His eyes searching hers furiously, feverishly, finding something familiar and strange reflected in there. Something bright and shiveringly  _wanting._

_Is she-_

She smiled softly, eyes fluttering closed for one  _beautiful_  moment, tugging at his lapels to pull him closer so that their foreheads touched. His hair brushing against her skin.

"I-Ishizu-"  _Gods,_ she  _needed_  him saying her name like that-it jolted throughout her, sending tender shoots of electricity licking everywhere. Inside.

"What are you doing?" His voice ragged like fingernails. Her scent inflaming him further.

_I should stop her-_

_-this-_

Ishizu let out a delicate half-giggle, the gentle breeze dancing across his skin. She lowered her lips to his ear, her own audacity making her tremble inwardly.

"Waiting for you to kiss me, Seto…"

She nearly gasped as she felt his arms suddenly encircle her waist, pulling her chest up against his, then let out a thick sigh almost unconsciously as his hands traveled upwards to tangle in her hair as his lips brushed hers gently.  _Barely._

His voice  _somehow_  sardonic amidst his heavy, uneven breathing. "Like  _that_?"

Ishizu bit her lip in frustration, furiously tugging on his lapels as she pressed her lips to his. Immediately feeling him take her lower lip in his mouth. His tongue swiping  _just_  barely inside her parted lips, making her release another sigh, then a tiny laugh of surprise as she felt him  _smile_  against her mouth before pulling her in ever closer, lifting his hips slightly to grind against hers. Making her almost moan, her mouth a perfect  _o_  as he lowered his hands to hold her rear against him. Hard. The  _delicious_  pressure.  _Friction._  Their mutual need delightfully  _evident_  as Seto, mind entirely  _reeling_  from the  _now-ness_  of  _this-this, my god-_ ran one of his hands up her torso, his thumb making a lazy circle on her breast through the thin fabric of her dress, making her nearly sag against him.

"Nn.." He pulled away for a brief moment, another small smile pulling at his lips, before diving back to press his lips along the shell of her ear, along the curve of her jawline and neck, the way her hands moved to his shoulders to steady herself only spurring him further onward, the roaring in his veins as she gripped him tightly, her thigh muscles tensing around his legs, his one hand holding her hips steady against him so that she could  _feel_  the increasing urgency of his need, the other dipping slightly below the neckline of her dress, meeting taut and warm flesh puckering beneath his tentative fingertips. A catch in her breath. Then another-

Everything within him screaming. Weeping with joy. Shaking with anticipation as he found a spot on her neck that made her  _moan_ the way she'd been doing each night as he'd lain awake beside her. Sucked on it hard. Hard enough to leave a mark. To bruise. The softness of her skin, tensing and relaxing and tensing once more as he stopped.

" _P_ - _please-touch me-_ "

His thirsty, obedient hands on her like starry, bright kisses. The gentle dragging of the pads of his fingers round and round stirring up fresh, caressing waves within her. Not stopping. Heeding her needy, half-wept request to the letter. Nails trailing over soft, tender flesh. The pad of his thumb  _precisely_  where she  _needed_  it. Not stopping. Never stopping. Everything a direct line to between her thighs. Down her spine. Curling and uncurling beneath. Within.

His lips moving along her skin-each suckle promising that she would not go unfulfilled-be left wanting-if only she would  _let go_ - _give_   _in_ to what they both wanted with every fiber, _needed-_

Then-

Her eyes opened.

_Not now-_

Something like an ice-cold trickling of water down the length of her spine-

_-I cannot do this now-_

_-or else I have nothing for tomorrow morning-_

_-nothing to conquer him with-_

It was impossibly difficult to concentrate with him simmering like that beneath her hips…

_-anyway-now that he's had a taste-_

She shuddered almost violently as she forced her hands to let go of his shoulders, relishing one last time the insistent, almost tender kiss he planted on her now-bare shoulder as her hands found his.

Disentangled them from her body. Quickly and smoothly.

Seto's eyes, dazed but regaining reason, moving quickly back to the couch cushions as she rather ungracefully moved herself from his lap back to the couch.

Her hands coming to test in her amidst the pleats of her skirt. Shoulders hunched demurely, modestly, as she fixed the strap of her dress. Allowing her hands to shake slightly as she looked down at her bare feet. Not daring to look at his face-his  _eyes-_ not to mention his  _thoroughly tempting lap-_

"I-Ishi-Miss Ishtar-are you-" His voice rough, edged with concern. Fright. At himself. Her.

_Was that too much-_

_-overstepping my bounds that way-_

_-I'm a disgusting creature-_

He studied her face carefully, taking in her swollen lips and heated cheeks-the dark, roiling bruise he'd managed, in his idiocy, to leave on her neck-each shift in her normally composed features registering as a reverberating pang.

"I-I-Seto-it's perfectly all right-"

_Reassure him. No need to frighten him away completely-_

She bit her lip for emphasis as she flicked her eyes up to his face. Reached out a hand to his shoulder as she gave him a dewy, seemingly genuine smile. Lighting up her features in the near-pitch-black darkness like she'd swallowed a sun.

The kind of smile that made him stop in his tracks.

"It was completely inappropriate for me to-" he began stiffly, willing himself to get a damned hold over the needlessly  _obvious_  quaver in his voice, as she laid a hand on his knee, aiming to soothe, the heat from her palm almost burning his flesh through his pant leg.

"Seto." Her chest felt impossibly tight, her stomach churning recklessly as she lifted her eyes to meet his once more. Half-engaged emotions swirling around within her, threatening to tear her apart from the inside.

 _Anguish_  in his voice, clear and crystalline, as he responded. "Miss Ishtar-I apologize for my transgression-given our relative situations, it's-"

_Wrong. Utterly wrong of me to consider-_

_-she's merely confused. Afraid. Reacting, perhaps, in the way she thinks will protect her further-_

Ishizu bit back an exasperated sigh as she leaned in towards him, her lips a hair's breadth from his once more. Her hand sliding up his thigh, her grip almost painfully tight-as if she couldn't stop herself. From touching him. Wanting to breathe every inch of him into her senses. Her being. Suffused. Infused.  _Knowing_  him.

She hated him for that.

For  _everything_.

Fury at him-at her situation-stewing just barely beneath the placid surface. Mingled with thoughts half-formed. Stillborn. Images twisting throughout her mind-her in his arms, she clinging to him like an anchor in a stormy sea. Clothing shucked. Rags beneath their bodies. Her beneath him. His voice hoarse as he cried out her name. Like the most needed of sounds flooding through her.

_I will kill you, Seto Kaiba._

_I will…_

Still, though, she kept her voice soft. Innocent despite kiss-swollen lips and half-lidded eyes. Fluttering lashes. Her dress strap threatening to slip down her shoulder once more as she brushed her lips against his, feeling him inhale brokenly, watched his eyes shut tightly as his shoulders tensed, anxiety seeping into his bones.

"Thank you, Seto Kaiba."

_I don't understand-_

_I don't understand a blasted thing-_

_-why do I feel this way-_

She swallowed hard as  _things_ clawed up her chest and throat. Feeling like sharp daggers pulling and stretching the skin.

Her hands sliding to cover his. Feeling him shiver beneath her benign touch. She came to a standing position before him, hands taking hold of his and pulling lightly. Signaling for him to rise, which he did.

_What is she doing-_

"Let's go to bed-please, Seto?" Her voice cracking throughout. Especially on his name. Like her mouth was too full of bile to accommodate another syllable.

"Why do you want me to stay with you every night, Miss Ishtar?"

_What can you possibly stand to gain from it?_

His words characteristically curt. Cold. Demanding. Suffering no fools.

_Well, I can't exactly give him the truth-_

Ishizu lowered her gaze to her bare feet, dropping his hands as she clasped her hands behind her like a recalcitrant child. Eyes seeming to fill with bitter remorse. Wet. Glassy as she looked up at him, a conjured tear collecting in one eye.

"I-I don't know, Seto." She gave him a crooked smile, startling him in that moment with her beauty. "Why do you always say yes?"

* * *

 

_Now._

_I could do it right now-_

Ishizu sat up in the bed slowly. Quietly. Making sure none of her joints popped as she regarded him. Flat on his back, chest rising and falling rhythmically. A faint husky sound-almost like snoring-escaping him with every few breaths. His hands folded across his stomach. His shirt still tucked into his pants, secured with his belt.

His bangs falling into his eyes. Nary a flutter of his eyelids. From the patches of forehead she could see between locks of dark hair, his brow was smooth. Unfurrowed.  _Peaceful._

He looked almost gentle lying here beside her like this. Unimpeachable.

Not like the bastard he was. What he had  _done-_ subjected her to-

- _threatening my family like that-_

She waited for the familiar spark of rage to ignite within her. Beginning in the core of her belly and extending forever outwards until she thought she would be burned alive with hatred.

Instead she felt only the slight chill of the vast bedroom rippling across her skin. Her steady, dull heartbeat ringing in her ears.

She pressed her mouth into a hard line until it nearly hurt. Reached to her side and picked up the cushiony white pillow. Squeezing it in her hands as she quietly moved over him. Climbed around him out of the bed. Blocking his face from the camera angle.

_Any moment now-_

_Now._

She wouldn't move.

Couldn't.

Frozen stiff. Her face into a grimace. Her hands into iron around the pillow. Her elbows unyielding. Refusing to extend. To cover his face with the plush fabric.

Something snapped within her once again. Fraying into minutely thin tangled strands of thread. Understanding. Comprehension  _gone._  Disappearing. Her mind reaching out desperately, scrambling to find  _something_  of sense of grab onto.

A silent cry passing through her lips. She bent over, pressing the pillow to her chest as her entire body reeled. Threatening to cave in on itself. Crumble utterly, bit by bit, until there was nothing of her left. A mere pile of dust and a memory.

_Why can't I-_

Her eyes darted to his sleeping face. So  _damned_  innocent. Restful.

Then-

His lips parting. Her name like a salve on his tongue. In her ears.  _Unbearably_  soft.

" _Ishizu-_ -"

Sending fresh rivulets of shivers coursing throughout her. She snapping her thighs together as heat began to coil and build. Wild and kite-like on a fierce breeze. A thousand dazzling points of light all inside her.

_Just from that utterance…_

She straightened up listlessly and let the pillow slide out of her fingers, not watching as it landed on the carpet with a faint plop. Her palms were sweating; she wiped them on her bare sides uselessly as she lowered herself onto the bed. Crawled around his feet back to her empty half. The dent from her body still written into the sheets as she curled up into her customary sleeping position.

Her mind giving itself over to endless questioning. Tearing itself apart, searching every errant corner for some  _reason._   _Logic_.  _Anything-_

_Why-_

_-I could have-_

_-I could-_

_-but I didn't-_

She yawned faintly as she pulled the coverlet over her shoulders, feeling a sudden rush of warmth flood her body.

Her eyelids drooped as exhaustion warned her of its presence. Slumber on its way to overtaking her.

_Tomorrow, then._

_I'll kill him tomorrow-_


	8. Coral Rose

She was  _there_  again.

At the bedside, the sterile hospital smell invading her nostrils. Made her feel like she was breathing it in and out. Suffused. Feeling the chill of the linoleum floor beneath her bare feet. settle in her bones.

Her head bowed. Tears streaming down her cheeks silently in tiny hot rivulets. Wisps of hair sticking to her face.

She couldn't look. Not at her mother. Not like this.

And there was nothing she could do.

Beside her, Odion was openly sobbing. Nose dripping onto his shirt. His tiny, chubby hand in hers growing sweaty, he squeezing a little  _too_  hard. A dull throbbing shooting up her arm.

But Ishizu didn't feel it much. Numb and empty. Scraping out from within. Leaving her out to dry.

The endless, steady  _beep-beep-beep-_ \- laughing at them all. The sound robotic and unsympathetic.

On the other side of the bed, their father. Holding a tiny mewling bundle in his arms carefully. Cradling the tiny blond head in his hand.

Looking lovingly at the woman in the bed. Sadly. Like each moment of eye contact would be the last between him and his wife.

Because each  _could_  be the last.

And then the wan, bedridden woman's eyes fluttered shut for the last time. Her hollowed cheeks softening and settling. Her always-furrowed brow smoothing out for good. The pulse beneath her skin slowing. Stopping.

The heart monitor flatlining.

Finality.

Ishizu heard the nurses in their scrubs behind her whispering darkly. Muttering harshly under their breaths. "She shouldn't have had another child-not with her condition-"

"-what was her husband thinking-"

As if she couldn't hear. Odion wasn't old enough to understand what cruel words they were saying as they hovered in the air like motes of dust. His own wails drowning nearly drowning them out anyway.

Her father was too far away to hear. Too wrapped in his own disbelief as he clutched finicky Marik to his chest. A single tear working its way along his nose and into his beard.

The nurses fell silent, half-uttered words hanging on her lips as Mr. Ishtar walked slowly around the bed. Bent down slightly as he proffered the bundle.

"I-Ishizu-I'm sorry." Voice  _broken._

She'd never seen her father like this-

"C-could you hold Marik for a moment? I-I have t-to make some calls-"

Ishizu let go of Odion's moist hand and briefly wiped her face on her sleeve. Extended her arms. Accepted Marik in his light blue blanket, the infant fussing, waving his fist listlessly in the air. Tiny sounds dropping issuing from his toothless, gummy mouth. Incoherent but understandable.

Even he could tell something was wrong.

One of the nurses followed Mr. Ishtar out of the room as the other turned to the plastic countertop to fill out some paperwork. Their father's gait shaky and uneven. Limping. Like he'd lost his sense of balance. A central part of himself-something essential to his very being. Without which he was rendered half. Unwhole.

Ishizu caught a glimpse of her father burying his face in his hands as the door swung shut.

She cradled Marik's small, round head dusted with pale hairs in the crook of her elbow as she sat down slowly. Carefully. Crossing her legs, her absurdly cheerful floral skirt spreading around her. Odion looked to her, eyes still wide, still crying up to the point of gasping; she balanced Marik's legs in her other elbow as she motioned for Odion to sit down beside her.

The bald boy did, swallowing another sob as he pressed his damp face into Ishizu's shoulder. His cries of agony only slightly muffled by the material of her shirt.

Ishizu took a deep breath, her chest beginning to hurt as she looked at her two little brothers. Odion. Only three to her seven. Hardly old enough to understand anything, but old enough to understand  _this_. That their mother wouldn't be coming home again.

And Marik. A newborn. Barely a few weeks old. Face still a scrunchy soft balloon all patched up with red. He would never know their mother. The woman who had carried him and delivered him without complaint. Only love. Nothing but love in her eyes as she'd seen her second son for the first time. Brushed a kiss on his wet forehead before they'd taken him away.

And never again.

_I have to be their mother now-_

"Odion." She waited for her brother to lift his head from where it was buried in soft fabric. His dark eyes meeting hers, his lower lip wobbling.

" _Yeth, Ithizthu_?" His shoulders shook in a hiccup. He'd lost his two front teeth earlier that month, she remembered, giving him an adorable little lisp.

"And Marik-" She looked down at the bundle in her arms. Dipped her finger in the blanket to stroke his soft, downy cheek. The infant wrapped his own minute hand around her finger, his lavender eyes impossibly wide.

"Mother is gone. You understand, Odion? She can't come home again."

Odion nodded slowly. Ishizu smiled sadly and reached out her sleeve to wipe the end of his nose.

"I'll protect you now. Okay?" Her voice was quiet but firm. Prenaturally so. She'd always been mature for her age. Her blue-green eyes seeing and comprehending more than people thought.

"I won't let anything hurt you again. I promise."

Then-

The three of them. Standing around the cold marble headstone. Simple. Name. Dates of birth and death. Dearly beloved. Sorely missed.

The dirt still fresh and damp from being moved.

Marik, now eighteen and usually so full of life, leaned his head on her shoulder, his glasses sliding down his nose as his eyes filled with tears. Odion, quiet and stoic at twenty-one, folded his hands in front of him and tried not to cry. The tattoos on his face distorting as he twisted his mouth, narrowed his eyes. Suppressed.

Ishizu held the bouquet of white roses, all tied nicely with a white ribbon. Mouth a thin line. Eyes dull.

The sky misty. Gray. The air heavy and wet. Cold. The faint cawing of crows littering the absolute quietude of the graveyard.

She gently lifted Marik's head from her shoulder as she took a few steps forward, her low heels sinking into thinly distributed soil. Laid the bouquet at the bottom of the headstone, then turned around, holding her black coat closed as she walked back over to where her brothers stood.

"Father…" Marik wiped his face with the back of his hand.

_First Mother._

_Then Father-_

_We are all we have now._

"You'll have to take over, you know." Odion's gravelly voice. Addressing Marik.

Marik nodded miserably, removing his glasses to wipe them clean on his tie. "I know."

It would never be the same.

Ishizu came to stand between her two brothers and extended her hands to them, feeling Marik's hand squeeze hers hard, like she was his anchor. Odion's rougher hand nearly enveloping her own.

"Marik…" Ishizu wetted her lips, willing herself not to cry.

"When Mother died, I made you and Odion a promise." She felt Odion give a start, his hand growing rigid in her own.  _He remembers-_

"I promised I would protect you. Father was never the same after she passed, and-well-" She swallowed hard, the words tasting impossibly bitter on her tongue. "I told both of you in that hospital room that I wouldn't let anything hurt you again."

_-I must keep that promise now. More than ever. As the eldest-_

"Even though I have to go back to school soon-just-" Warm, salty tears threatening to spill over. Render her a crumpled mess.

"Just know that my promise still holds."

_I will never let anything hurt you ever again-_

Ishizu woke up in a cold sweat, skin covered in icy gooseflesh. Breath coming out in shallow spurts.  _No. No. No. I'm not there. I'm not there._

_No. No. No-_

The moonlight still streaming through the window. Diffused by curtains. Flickering. Bed. Coverlet. Sheets.

She let out a faint cry before she could stop herself. Her hand flying to her mouth to muffle the pained sound. Her eyes blurred with fresh tears-she couldn't stop a few from pooling. Clinging to her lashes. Dripping down her face.

"I-Ishizu?" Like he was ripped from a dream. Voice hazy and faint.

Ishizu's heart stopped. Everything gone to ribbons around her. Fraying.

_No-he can't see me like this-_

_-not when it's_ real _-_

Seto yawned then, propping himself up on his elbows as he turned to face her. Brown hair ruffled almost rakishly. Eyes wide with concern, lips parted as if to say something.

 _-what_ can  _I say to her?_

Ishizu's body wracked through with fresh shuddering as more tears threatened to spill.  _Not this-no-not like this-_

_-blast-_

She felt naked.

Uncomfortably so.

His eyes fixed on her face.  _Like that_.

She almost wished his gaze would drop to her exposed breasts. Take in her nearly-nude form. Look at her like he usually did-with hunger. Need. To touch her.

Wished that he wouldn't look at her in  _quite_  that way. Like he wanted to pull her to his chest and soothe all worries. All fears. Let her cry it out, wrapped up in his arms. Allow her tears to soak his shirt. Her scrabbling fingers to ruin his buttons. All of that not mattering to him-the only thing of importance being her comfort.

Seto sat up fully and rubbed his eyes. Brushed his bangs out of his eyes. All the while watching her face with a careful gaze.

Disgustingly  _intimate-_

"I-Miss Ishtar-" he began, then stopped. Chewed on the inside of his check. Searched her face intently-for what, he wasn't quite sure.

_Surely I would be overstepping my bounds-_

_-would she even accept comfort-from me-_

Ishizu looked away from him then, her eyes fixing on the coverlet. Her two fistfuls of fabric she hadn't even realized she'd made. Gripping tightly, the strain only now registering in her wrists as pain.

Her breath still catching on itself. Overlapping roughly, still coming out as sharp, inhuman sounds.

"It was just a bad dream, Seto." Tried to keep her voice even. The thickness in her throat under control. Tried to ignore the wetness of her cheeks, soaked through with tears. Running down her neck, her chest. As if she were drowning.

_It was more than a bad dream-_

_-it was a warning._

_I couldn't go through with it earlier-_

_-I must do it today._

_I have to._

_No one who threatens my family may get away unscathed…_

Seto's eyes were obscenely soft as he continued to look at her. His hand in his lap trembling as he considered reaching out to her. To pat her on the shoulder, her back, anything.

_I likely was the source of the nightmare-_

- _keeping her here like this-_

Through her tears, Ishizu glared darkly at him, lifting the coverlet to cover her up to her shoulders. Covering herself.

Too exposed still.

_Do not dare to pity me, Seto Kaiba…_

He licked his lips, shame hurtling through him. His stomach filling with bile. Mouth tasting bitter.

_Perhaps-_

_-perhaps-_

"M-Miss Ishtar-is there anything I might be able to-" He stopped. Watched her face carefully. The narrowing of her eyes as a few final errant tears slipped from her lashes onto heated cheeks. Spilling down the sides of her face as she considered him. What he was offering. So tentatively. Furtively.

Ishizu used her thumb to wipe away the remaining tears, her breath having finally calmed down.

_I wouldn't have thought Seto Kaiba would have a penchant for-_

_-for comforting-_

She imagined it then-

-herself, tangled and intertwined with the man lying beside her. His hands roaming her body smoothly, almost in a petting motion. Making sure she was comfortable. Comforted. Sleeping soundly. The steadiness of his breath imbuing her with quietude.

_And then-to wake up in those arms-_

She dismissed the rather tempting thought, such that it was, as she swallowed hard. "No-just-I'm sorry for waking you, Seto. It's nothing, I assure you. Just a bad dream." She turned away from Seto then, laying her head on one of the pillows that remained pressed up against the headboard and curling up onto her side. The coverlet sliding down her shoulder, revealing skin. Dark locks of silken hair sliding across her upper back.

Seto exhaled slowly. Lowered himself back under the coverlet and pulled it up to his neck, then slid his hands to rest onto his stomach. Trying to ignore the rather uncomfortable way his belt was digging into his lower back-

- _if I were to start taking that off, no doubt that would be wholly and utterly inappropriate-she'd get the wrong idea about what I was doing-think I was expecting something of her-_

He closed his eyes and waited for his brow to unfurrow. His breathing to even out. Slumber-such that is was, all torn through with painfully  _needful_  dreams of the woman lying beside him-to claim him.

And then he felt it-

Ishizu shifting in the bed. Coming to lie on her stomach.

A delicate hand grasping at his wrist.  _Hers-_

Then sliding across, climbing over his wrist to cup the back of his hand. Softly. Waiting.

He turned his head to look at her, and was startled by her gaze, his heart beginning to beat wildly in his chest. Hummingbird-esque. The softness of her look. The plain  _innocence_  of her round eyes. The gentle parting of her lips. As if she wished to say something. Anything. Unable to find proper words.

The tentative way her hand rested upon his. As if waiting for him to entwine his fingers in hers.

He  _had_  wanted to offer comfort, hadn't he?

In whatever small way he could?

His jaw clenched tightly for a moment as he slowly turned his hand over, the palm facing upwards. Ishizu's hand slid down to fill it. Her fingers lacing through his as she gently moved their clasped hands towards the center of the bed. Her hand pinning his to the soft sheets. Wanting him to stay there. With her.

"Ishi-Miss Ishtar-" Seto whispered, cheeks flooding with heat, stammering slightly as he looked back at her face.  _What is she-_

But her eyes had since closed, her thick lashes falling still. Her back beginning to move as sleep filled her slowly, all cloudlike and bright. Soothed her. Her breaths falling even as her hand squeezed his once last time, then relaxed.

As Seto lay there, his hand in hers, willing- _praying_ -his heart rate to slow-for sleep to finally give him blessed rest-the remaining moonlight covered its face with the warm cloak of dawn and the first delicate rays of sunlight sprinkled themselves across the horizon.

* * *

 

Ishizu awoke to knocking.

Not Seto's brusque three  _rap-rap-raps-_

Something rather more like a furious flurry-

Ishizu yawned and sat up in the bed, squinting at the unmercifully bright sunlight cracking, whiplike, across her eyelids.  _Who could it be-at this hour-_

She swung her legs out of the bed. "Who is it?" She rushed over to the dresser, pulling a strapless dress down over her head-before approaching the door and opening it to find-

"Yugi?" Ishizu's natural inclination to smile at the small man was disrupted by surprise at his early visit-surprise at the perfectly alarmed look frozen on his face-at his harsh, uneven breathing as he took her free hand in his trembling ones, then pulled her into a tight hug.

"Y-Yugi?" Ishizu managed to sputter out as she patted him on the back tentatively, guiding them both back through the doorway and managing to push the door closed behind them, all while still trapped in Yugi's tight embrace.

"I-Ishizu-my god-are you  _all right-_?" Yugi let go of her and moved his hands to her cheeks, pulling her face down slightly so that his wide violet eyes could examine her every microexpression.

_If Mr. Kaiba-though I couldn't believe it myself-_

Ishizu, now beginning to be slightly concerned at Yugi's rather  _strange_  behavior, her pulse beginning to race under her skin, backed away from him. Eyebrows raised. "Why  _wouldn't_  I be all right, Yugi…?"

_I know Yugi's on my side in this particular matter-but Seto hasn't-he hasn't done anything untoward-nothing against my wishes, I'll give the asshole that much-_

Yugi's eyes grew even rounder with worry. "Ishizu-you  _do_  realize that we  _all_  know what's been going on between you and Mr. Kaiba… the dinners-the way he sleeps in here with you each night-and-well-the way you two- _um-_ -last night-"

_Kissed._

Ishizu's cheeks flooded with heat at the memory of that  _searing_  kiss. What it had made her  _want_ -

_Blast-_

Pressing her inner thighs together where she stood, she tried to speak in her usual controlled, placid tone. "Yugi-"

Yugi went on, his voice picking up in speed, words nearly slurring together breathlessly. "And-and-Ishizu-you realize, of course, that it's  _completely_  inappropriate for him to touch you that way-I mean-given your  _situation-_ " His cheeks colored as he went on, his voice becoming increasingly ragged. "And-and-well, I  _do_  think my employer is a decent man-but if what I-what we  _all saw_  last night is to be believed, Ishizu-well-"

He hung his head for a moment, shoulders shuddering with nervous energy. When he looked back up at her, his eyes were blazingly bright. Almost maroon.

"If what happened last night, Ishizu, is to be believed-I  _daresay_  I can no longer in good conscience call Mr. Kaiba a  _good_  man."

_And the rest of us-Téa, Joey, Tristan, Serenity, Miho, and my grandfather-_

His words hung in the air as Ishizu grasped at the gravity of them.

"Yugi-" She folded her hands before her, willing herself to remain calm-not to cry at the  _beauty_ of this gesture-what he was  _implying-_ the kind of support she'd culled-

"Please-I know you won't believe me, but- _I_ initiated all of that. All of those things. Not Seto-he wouldn't have  _dreamt_  of doing something like that.  _I'm_  the one who invited him into my bed- _I'm_  the one who-well-"

_Made him kiss me._

Yugi's gaze now skeptical, his lower lip wobbling, forehead crinkling as he struggled to figure out the meaning of her words.

_Ishizu-what kind of game are you playing-?_

The space between them heavily silent. Ishizu looked down at her bare feet, trying to hide the efflorescent blooming of her cheeks. The color spreading to her neck, heating her from within most uncomfortably as Yugi studied her intently.

"Ishizu… but  _why_?" Yugi's voice, when it finally emerged, was faint and bewildered. He began to chew on his lower lip, his hands reaching towards her, shaking slightly.

"Ah." Ishizu lifted her eyes, struggling to meet his gaze. Looking anywhere but his eyes-those eyes that, once in contact with hers, would  _surely_ see what was twisting and roiling within her-would see  _far_  too much-

_What can I even say to possibly explain-_

"Because I- because I  _wanted_  to, Yugi." Her voice, quiet but determined, lingered in the space between them as Yugi took a step towards her, tenderly placing her hands in his.

_If what Téa ascertained from Mr. Kaiba's behavior on the matter was true-_

"Oh dear…" Yugi murmured to himself, faintly, but not faint enough for Ishizu to miss his words.

_Indeed, Yugi, indeed._

_Though "oh dear" doesn't_ begin  _to cover the mess I've found myself in-_

Then-

_Rap-rap-rap-_

_Blast-it's Seto-_

"You need to leave, Yugi-" Ishizu whispered, panic seeping into her as her eyes darted wildly around the room- _could he hide somewhere? He's rather small-_

Yugi's lips curled up in a sad smile as he walked over to the dresser and took several of the dresses hanging on hangers into his arms. "Go open the door, Ishizu."

Ishizu nodded and approached the door, already feeling the flush on her cheeks reassert itself as she pulled it open to find Seto, as usual, perfectly suited in dark gray and a blue tie, carrying a tray before him.

He raised an eyebrow as he caught sight of Yugi, arms piled high with Ishizu's dresses, striding towards the doorway as if nothing were wrong. As if nothing were amiss. Turned about all strangely and incomprehensibly.

"I'll have these all fixed up for you by the end of the day, Ishizu…" Yugi said lightly, almost cheerily, through the armful of clothing as he walked past the confused Seto and exited into the corridor, his footsteps growing fainter and fainter.

"What was  _that_  about, Miss Ishtar?" Seto asked, crossing the threshold into the room and walking over towards the coffee table.

Ishizu closed the door and let out a quiet sigh of relief.

_Thank the gods he didn't act oddly-_

Voice calm. Perfectly innocuous. "Oh, I had a few dresses that needed some adjustments. Some mending. Bit of wear and tear from walking about the grounds with Mokuba and everything…" She walked over to Seto and took her seat, her mind idling on the strange fact of her being so clothed in front of Seto for a change.

Seto almost regretted her choice in attire, though he was unable to look away from that neckline of her dress. How it concealed and revealed in equal measure the curves of her-

He tore his eyes to the pitcher of coffee and leaned over, pouring himself a cup, as Ishizu reached for the plate laden with pancakes, then took in hand the small spoon beside the plate and scooped some powdered sugar on top of the golden-brown stack.

Seto watched, teacup at halfway to his mouth, as she licked her lips in anticipation of this most decadent of breakfasts.

_Not now-_

_-dammit-_

_-seriously-_

The room fell silent as Seto sipped his piping hot coffee and Ishizu dug into her breakfast with gusto; soon only Ishizu's rather distracting sounds of pleasure as she finished the pancakes quickly, getting some powdered sugar on her nose in the process-a move which nearly made Seto keel over with how damned  _adorable_  she looked-were the only noises to be heard throughout the vast chamber.

All talk of the travails between them in the early morning intentionally going unmentioned.

Ishizu placed her empty plate back onto the table and sat up straight, folding her hands demurely in her lap and crossing her legs at the ankle. Not daring to look at him looking at her. Her eyes directed to her skirts.

Seeing his lingering, ever-present hunger for her in his eyes was  _one_  thing. A welcome distraction, if she were to be entirely honest with herself-

_But I cannot bear if it he pities me-the behavior I displayed this morning-_

- _appalling-_

She reached for a teacup and filled it with coffee, bringing the steaming beverage to her lips and taking a small sip.

_Now-_

_I need to get in his office._

_Move forward with it-_

"Um… Seto?" she murmured quietly, delicately, still looking down at her lap. Hunching her shoulders slightly. Supplicant. Submissive. Innocent.

"Nn?" Seto placed his empty teacup back on the table and crossed his legs, turning towards her slightly in his chair.

"Could I-could I ask you a favor?" She turned large, round eyes towards him. Taking her lower lip in her mouth briefly, allowing her brows to come together in the perfect picture of worry.

Seto stiffened slightly, the clear pain in her manner registering with a sharp pang.

_Of course… what could she need-_

"You may."

Ishizu didn't blink for several moments, looking upwards and allowing her eyes to fill with tears as she regarded him once more. The tears threatening to spill-to litter her face, drawn from thick lashes…

"You remember the phone call I made yesterday-when I was talking to Marik about Odion's health?"

Seto nodded intently, remembering how crestfallen she'd looked when she'd hung up the phone-how he'd almost buckled then. Attempted, in his own useless, forlorn way, to offer her comfort-before Téa had asked to speak with him-

"Well-you see-I promised I would call home today-to speak with Odion since he-he was having those tests done-"

"Of course, Miss Ishtar-I have no problem with you using the phone, as you well know…"

Ishizu bit back an aggrieved sigh, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Well-that's where the favor comes in. You see…" She turned in her seat to face him more fully. "I-it's not that I don't trust you, Seto-and I thank you for your kindness to me thus far-it's that-well-when I talk on the phone with Odion, we will likely discussing things of a rather… confidential medical nature-and, as I said-it's not that I don't  _trust_  you, Seto-" She clasped her hands in her lap and induced a slight shaking motion. As if she were frightened of the very thing she were asking for.

"I-I would like to be able to use your private study line, Seto-because I know there's no chance of anyone picking up the line and eavesdropping…" She looked down at her hands mousily once more.

Seto narrowed his eyes, mind racing.  _Ought I-_

_Can I trust her that much-?_

"You can even dial the number and everything-and you can speak to Marik or Odion or whoever picks up first so that you know I'm telling you the truth-" She blinked. Allowed a tear to snake down the side of her face, making Seto blanch.

_Well, I suppose-_

_If I dial the number and confirm with whom she is speaking-_

_-I see no issue with that._

"I will allow that, Miss Ishtar." His voice was firm. Almost brusque as he rose, taking the tray in hand. "But as I have to be at the office today, let's have that phone call happen now."

As Seto walked over to the door, Ishizu in tow, she couldn't resist cracking a crooked grin where he couldn't see.

_Excellent._

_Easier than I anticipated-_

_Now to do it._

* * *

 

After handing off the tray to one of the maids walking the walls, Seto led Ishizu through what seemed to be a positively  _endless_  made of corridors and stairs until they arrived at a door at the end of a long, rather dim hallway. Various clicking and beeping noises sounded in the air as Seto stepped forward, submitted to an eye-scan, a thumbprint scan, and typed in an extremely long alphanumeric passcode so quickly that Ishizu couldn't catch sight of one digit-

And then the door slid into the wall, the warm daylight coming in through the windows of Seto's office leaking into the hallway, and with a slight smile of pride, Seto stepped aside and gestured for Ishizu to enter the office.

Her feet pressing into plush carpet. The room small but incredibly well-appointed. A large antique wooden desk stood by the back wall, in front of two windows. A stuffed couch lying across from the desk, its dark blue surface matching nicely with the same-colored trim on the cream-colored walls. The carpet beneath her feet was a lovely abstract mass of cream and dark blue, same as the rest of the decorations, but mingled throughout with bursts here and there of pale blues and luminous, shining dark reds, as if the carpet reflected the sky at all hours of the day or night.

Hanging on the wall above the couch was a particularly well-done portrait of Seto Kaiba-though he looked different in the painting, his features slightly rounder than those of the man beside her, his usual dark suit swapped out for a rather ostentatious-looking white trenchcoat and black turtleneck, with flamboyant buckles tied around his arms for no apparent reason.

"You've a lovely office, Seto…" Ishizu nearly whispered, marveling at how lovely and light and airy the space was, with a small skylight in the ceiling allowing even more warmth and brightness to penetrate through to the space.

Seto smirked. "I have excellent taste, Miss Ishtar. Now, if you'll follow me-I'll dial the phone for you right away."

Ishizu nodded and followed Seto over the desk, where he leaned against the desk and lifted the phone lying on the desk to his ear. "Number, please."

She folded her hands behind her back and told him dutifully, watching with a small hint of pleasure the annoyed look that appeared on Seto's face as the phone rang several times, then jumped as Seto nearly barked into the phone, "Ishtar-your sister is calling for you-"

He abruptly handed the phone off to Ishizu, crossing his arms in front of his chest and trying to hide with a scowl the concern he felt- _somehow_ -for Ishizu's and her brother's situation that was currently gnawing at him. Hard. Acidly.

"M-Marik-" Ishizu began, pressing the phone her ear, only to be cut off by Odion's gruff, low voice.

"It's me, Sister." Odion pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, warily casting a glance at their youngest brother, who was curled up on the couch, clutching a pillow to his chest, clearly distraught.

"O-Odion-I'm so  _glad_  to hear from you-" she began, pasting a smile on her face for Seto's benefit as he watched her intently. Perhaps regretting his  _strange_  trust in her in this moment.

Odion sounded cross over the phone-his voice was always especially gravelly when he was upset. "Sister-what is it you're doing-why did you tell Marik some falsehood about me?"

Ishizu fought back the urge to roll her eyes.

_Not helping, Odion-_

Lacing a hint of worry into her voice, she piped up, "a-and how did-the results-" She lifted a hand briefly to flutter before her face, as if trying to prevent herself from crying as she sniffed loudly.

"Ishizu-what is  _Ra'_ s name are you doing? What kind of  _game_  are you playing?" Odion's voice rose in pitch and in volume, forcing Ishizu to move her free hand to subtly cover the receiver-suppress all errant sound that would tip Seto off-

She pressed her lips together and nodded to herself. "Ah-I see. I'm  _glad_  to hear that, Odion-is there anything else?"

Odion moved the handset away from his ear and cast a quizzical glance at Marik, who by now had risen from the couch, lavender eyes wide with fright and curiosity, gnawing furiously at his lower lip.

_Is she speaking in some sort of code-?_

_-this is too strange-_

_-could she be trying to ask for help-with that bastard listening in she can't properly say anything-_

"O-Odion-" whispered Marik; Odion lifted a finger to silence his brother.

"Ishizu-please answer me, 'yes' or 'no'. Are you  _all_   _right_?" His voice was pained. Thin. Like a taut string. So different from his normal even tone.

Ishizu licked her lips, inhaling sharply.  _They must be worried about me-with all the strange things I'm saying-_

"Yes, Odion. I'm all right. Now,  _please_ -about the other tests?"

Odion gritted his teeth, searing panic loosing itself in his veins. "Sister,  _please_ , what bloody tests are you  _referring_  to?"

Ishizu lifted her free hand from the receiver to scratch at the back of her neck. "Okay. All right. Thank you. I'll call you again soon, Odion. I love you, Brother-and  _please_  give my love to Marik."

"Ishizu- _wait_ -"

The dull sound of a dial tone blared into his ear. Odion, slightly shaking now, hung up the phone and dropped it onto the kitchen counter. Marik's eyes welling up with tears as he looked up at his older brother, adjusting his glasses with an unsteady hand.

"Brother-Odion-what can she mean-"

"I have no idea, Marik…"

_But something's not quite right with her._

Ishizu put the phone back onto the receiver slowly. Forcing her lips to curl into a tiny smile of relief, allowing a tiny hint of light to shine in her eyes as she looked back at Seto.

_Now._

He was leaning against the desk next to her, half-sitting, half-standing, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Eyes wide with concern.  _I do hope her brother is all right-_

"I-is-" he began stupidly, almost reeling when Ishizu's face broke out into a dazzling grin, her eyes wet and large. She nodded slowly at first, then enthusiastically, lifting a hand shyly to her lips as if to cover her lovely mouth.

"Y-yes. He's totally fine. Every test came back negative-" The lie, like so many before it, slid easily off her lips as she wrapped her arms around herself, working up a few tears of joy, mingled throughout with breathy half-giggles.

Seto's shoulders unclenched, a faint patch of red blooming on his cheeks as he regarded her. Her startling beauty-her evident happiness in this moment doing  _strange_  things to his chest. Twisting it ruthlessly.

"I-I'm delighted to hear that, Miss Ishtar-"

Without thinking, he reached out a hand to her shoulder and squeezed gently. The  _heat_  of her bare flesh almost searing him as it  _all_  flowed back to him. In merciless waves.

_Her skin-_

That sweetness in the air as she turned towards him, lifting one hand to his, weaving her fingers through his as she lowered it from her shoulder.

_-dammit-_

_-now this-_

_-highly inappropriate-_

Ishizu licked her lips quickly and held his hand in both of hers, running her fingers slyly along his smooth palm, each tiny wince he made at her not-unwanted touch registering with a strange glee.

She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a low half-whisper, her lips mere inches from his ear. "Thank you  _so_  much, Seto-I know it can't have been easy to trust me like that-"

_Her scent-_

Seto's eyes fluttered shut briefly as her  _damned_  voice sent shivers dancing down his spine. Every inch of his skin suddenly coming alive with gooseflesh as she continued to stroke his palm, her slightly callused fingers creating a  _gorgeous_  sense of friction that reverberated through him. Smokily. Diffusing.

_Oh god-_

"Glad I could help-" he managed to choke out as he felt her drop his hands. Her careful, shy fingers suddenly running up his torso, practically burning him through his shirt and undershirt.

"I-I should probably get going to the office."  _If I can make myself leave the damned room-_

Ishizu's fingers tapped on his collarbone through his shirt, voice perfectly even and placid. Curious. "Big meeting today?"

Seto licked his lips briefly, trying to steady his voice. Meaning coming through. Hazily. Slowly. "Ah-no. Nothing like that today-I'm reviewing various product designs and such…"

Her lips at the base of this throat, nearly making him jump.  _Feeling_  her smile crookedly against his skin.

"You can take a sick day, can't you…?" The quiet smoothness of her voice reverberating through him, making his hands tremble at his sides.

_Now._

Ishizu looked up, caught his gaze with hers, and held it. Effortlessly. Her fingers lightly taking hold of his tie, pulling the expensive dark blue silk  _oh-so-gently_  as she lowered herself to sit on the edge of the desk. A few papers floating off the wooden surface as she slowly spread her thighs under her skirt.

Then her hands moved to his suit jacket lapels and tugged. Firmly. Her breath coming now in delicate pants as she looked up at him, eyes both innocent and full of impossible implications. Seto stumbled slightly, thrown off balance by her motions, until he came to face her. Another tug to his lapels and he was  _directly_  between her legs, looking down at her with a mixture of awe and helplessness.

"Well?" Her voice was low. Teasing.

_I don't understand-_

Ishizu felt his posture stiffen from where he stood, her soft thighs pressing against his legs. She took a deep, shaky breath as the effects of his  _proximity_  started to soak into her. Fluidly. Heat rising in jolts and sparks throughout her. Pooling  _needily_  between her legs. Below her belly. Her eyelids growing heavy, lips parting slightly as she leaned back on his desk, propping herself up on one arm, pulling him with her so that he was poised over her, hands gripping the edge of the desk to hold himself up as he took a step closer, his hips  _just_   _barely_ brushing against her inner thighs.

Seto felt her breath shift. Become ragged. Matching his own in this moment. Her eyes, half-lidded and thick-lashed, never leaving his face. His own beginning their customary sweep over her body, beginning with the softness of her lips-softness he  _knew_ -the lines and curves of her  _neck_ , her  _collarbone_ -her  _shoulders_ , left bare-the  _faintest_  hint of cleavage showing above the neckline of her strapless dress. The promise beckoning him. Nails digging into the hard wood of the desk.

As she wrapped those long, sleek legs around his own, he let out a faint, throaty groan, feeling her hips pressed right up against his, their chests only separated by a hair's breadth. _Perfection._   _Friction._  Fire roaring throughout him, every fiber of his being  _demanding_  more.  _More._   _More-_

To hike up her skirt. Pull cotton aside.  _Touch_ her. Make her  _moan_  the way she had the previous night, when she'd straddled his lap and nearly unmade him with the way she'd  _melted_  in his arms as he'd kissed her. Learned her flesh. Memorized the feel of her silk hair in his hands. Her sweet scent flooding him. All he'd known in that  _beautiful_  moment had been  _her._ The way their hips had  _ground_  together. In anticipation-

Anticipation of  _this-_

Her fingers on his lapels moving, trailing confidently down his shirt. Stopping at his belt buckle. She hooked her fingers around the leather, pulling him even closer, shivering _delightfully_  as she felt his need pressed against her almost roughly. Heard him groan again. Her name.

" _Ishizu-_ "

Something within her cracked open-irretrievably-and poured liquid  _want_  into every crevice. Undeniably so. A sunset, red and raw, blooming inside her. Blood boiling beneath the skin. Her heartbeat reverberating in her ears. Begging.  _Pleading. Insisting-_

She  _felt_  it then-as if he'd actually  _done_  it-was  _doing_  it now-his lips working along the shell of her ear. Teeth grazing her neck. His hands sliding under her skirt confidently. Possessively. Grasping her rear. Pulling her ever closer until it was almost  _too_  much-

Until she  _had_  to have him.

_That way._

Her fingers moving back upwards. Crawling slowly, almost cutely, until she reached his neck. Felt his pulse  _racing_  under the skin, releasing a tiny cry as one of his hands reached up swiftly and grabbed her wrist. His fingers pressed against the veins, as if seeking to do the same-test her pulse. Gauge her want. His palm  _so_  soft, wrapped around her like this-

That same hand leaving, sliding smoothly along the surface of her arm. Moving down to wrap around her back. Pulling her face close to his-close enough to count his pale freckles. Allowing him to breathe into her  _everything._

_Oh, gods-_

The  _way_  he was  _looking_  at her-

The blues darkened beyond recognition. Pupils threatening to swallow all.

Swallow her whole.

_Now._

She leaned up and brushed her lips against his. Slowly.  _Barely._ Like he had done the previous night on some whim of genius to tease her.  _Let's see how he likes that-_

The growl that came from his throat was  _inhuman_  as he pulled her to him and enveloped her lips with his. Biting her lower lip gently as he pulled her torso upwards, their chests pressing together hard, the feeling of him rubbing  _needily_  against her through her skirts already threatening to unmake her entirely. For her to lose control. Give in.  _Give in._

_Let go-_

She pulled away for a moment, releasing a thick sigh, before he leaned in again and kissed her, his hand on her back moving quickly, smoothly, twisting bits of fabric in his hand as he slid it underneath her skirt. The softness of her thighs making him want to  _weep._  Her arms shaking already as she wrapped them around his neck, tightening her legs around him as his free hand left the desk and skimmed along her collarbone. Cradling her head, tangling his fingers in her hair as he bent her head back carefully, his lips leaving hers as he began to sow fire under her skin, his lips traveling down her neck. Her hands moving to his shoulders. Pulling him in again.

_Now._

With a burst of flames she lifted herself up, the hand on her thigh making her tremble as her fingers raced down his arms. Coming to rest on his belt buckle. Beginning to work the leather through the belt loops with unsteady, rapid fingers. All attention to  _this._   _This-_

Seto froze then, mind breaking apart into endless screaming bits, fire beginning to course through him as the  _reality_  of it all dawned on him.

_She wants this-_

He lifted his lips from the tender skin of her neck to capture her gaze with his. His eyes suddenly serious. Questioning.

"Are you sure?" The hand moving up her leg stopping its meandering path. Nails dragging circles round and round.

Ishizu nearly whined at the cessation of his ministrations as she dropped his belt to the floor with a clatter. The air heavy and thick and crackling between them.

_Now._

_Yes._

_Yes._

_Yes._

"Yes _-_ " She managed to gasp out as her own haze of arousal threatened to consume her, breathing out a patchy sigh of need as his lips lowered against her neck once more; she could have sworn she made out a hint of a smile pressed to her skin as she gasped aloud-his fingers had found what they had sought.

Teeth. Lips. Sucking against flesh. Tender. Soft. Each brush eliciting a shiver that he then adjusted to, holding her head back, thick strands of dark hair wound around his fingers. Held against him confidently. Definitively. Like he was holding something precious and delicate. And yet his mouth still moved. Leaving behind a trail of tiny reddened marks, punctuated by the most  _beautiful_ of groans. His. Her breath interrupted. Nearly panting.

And his  _fingers-_

-the ones working between her legs-

That thin layer of cotton separating him from her. Where she  _burned_  all wetly  _already._ Rubbing. In circles. Ovals. Loops. The pads of his fingers brushing against her inner thighs, his thumb pressing against her so  _gently._ Almost not enough.

 _Definitely_  not enough-

" _Oh-_ "

Seto felt her move her legs together, trapping him where he stood as they wrapped around him tighter, desperately trying to get his hand to stay  _there_ , her inner thighs straining to meet, and couldn't resist smirking in between kisses along her collarbone. Her chest heaving as she was nearly unmade. Bit by bit. Quivering. Her hands resting where his shirt was still tucked into his trousers. Pulling it out and smoothing out the crisp material. Sliding beneath the fabric and brushing against his undershirt, making him lose his concentration for the briefest of moments.

He allowed the tips of his fingers to pull at the lace-trimmed hem between her legs.  _Slightly._ As if driven by curiosity. Falsely innocent.  _Feeling_  her bite her lower lip to suppress an outright  _moan_  as he moved his lips to her earlobe.

"You like that?"

His voice was low and velvet. Teasing. Confident. Causing her to shudder as another electric wave licked down her spine. Curled beneath her skin. Settled.

Unable to respond cogently, she managed a ragged noise of assent from somewhere deep in her chest, her fingers scrabbling to hold him closer, index and middle fingers hooked over the button of his trousers. Too distracted now to touch him in return. To run her fingers over the zipper. To lift and begin to unbutton his shirt. To speed things up. Revelling too much in what he was  _doing_ to her to even fathom turning the tables.

"Tell me you want it."

Sliding his middle finger just  _barely_ underneath the fabric. Brushing against curls. The softest flesh imaginable. Beneath-

_She's already-_

He couldn't help but groan almost helplessly as she unconsciously lifted her hips towards his hand. Wordlessly begging.  _Aching._ Her fingers pausing their tugging.

" _Please-_ "

She grabbed at the tails of his button-down to secure him further as he gently untangled his other hand from her hair. Slid it down the back of her neck. Her shoulder. Relishing the incredible warmth of her feverish skin. The gooseflesh he left in his wake as he dragged a finger across the neckline of her dress, making her shiver once more. Dropped down. Sliding her skirts fully out of the way. Hiking them up nearly to her waist. Revealing. Her thighs  _trembling_  with need.

Seto lifted his gaze from the hem of her skirt to look at her face. That  _glorious_  face, her eyelids fluttering shut. A tiny crinkle between her eyebrows. Lips parted. Breath coming out in tiny gasps as he gently slid his index finger beneath her panties. Dragged it around for  _just_ a moment, biting back a heavy moan as he felt how perfectly  _wet_  she was.

Wanting.

Waiting.

"Can I-?"

Ishizu released something like a throaty whine as his finger stopped for a moment while he awaited her answer. His voice at once both enticing and breathless.

_Don't stop-_

Her eyes opened and found his. Her vision coming to a point as she looked up at him, her eyes half-lidded. Cheeks all heated, feeling warmth like daubs of crimson and scarlet as she registered it all. Him. The ice blue of his eyes darkened further with need, his cheeks pink. Lips reddened and caught between a groan and a smirk as he licked them, looking down at her.

Herself. On his desk. Legs spread. Her hands gripping his shirt. Wrinkling the fabric beyond all remedy.

Him. Touching her. Like  _this._ Hands everywhere and  _there,_ making her  _want._ Painfully.

Like she'd dreamt of so  _wonderfully_ and  _torturously-_

-this man she  _hated-_

-making her  _react_ this way-

"Yes-"

His lips curling into a damned  _smile_  as he leaned in and kissed her deeply, his other hand gripping her thigh to hold her in place. The finger paused between her legs touching her again. Slickness. Drifting round and round, sending ribbons of need through her legs and spine, the dampness he was calling forth making his motions slightly irregular as he sucked at her lower lip, nearly losing himself at how  _incredible_ she felt. So perfect and  _delicious_ and  _desiring_ and  _wanting_ him, in this moment-

He  _so_ wanted to taste her-to touch her there even  _more_ and  _better-_ to feel her shudder and tremble around him, her voice hoarse with him and his name-

A second finger swirling around in the thicket of curls. His thumb moving beneath her panties as his other hand lifted, beginning to tug at the fabric. Sliding it down over her rear. Pulling it down to her knees. Then her calves. Then the offending garment was cast aside entirely, dangling from one slender ankle for a moment before it floated to the floor.

Her thighs spreading as he parted her lips, inserted his middle finger, his thumb pressing gently, rubbing back and forth on her clit. His lips sliding from hers to her cheek. The shell of her ear. Earlobe.

His voice husky and  _melting._  Hoarse as he kissed her neck again. Softly this time. Then harder, nibbling on the soft skin. "You feel so  _good-fuck-_ "

_Oh, he's good, all right-_

She inhaled deeply, allowing the scent of his aftershave, all fresh and clean, to seep through her. Inflame her further as a second finger joined the one gently pulsing inside of her. Her lips curling into a soft, innocent smile as she shifted place on the desk, eliciting another hitched breath against her neck. Her eyes flicking down to where his hand rested under her skirt as he pulled away for a moment. All the world paused around them as she looked back up at him. Leaning forward. Brushing her lips against his again lightly, teasingly, relishing the way his eyes snapped closed reflexively, the motions of his fingers ceasing as he lost concentration.

_My turn._

With a rapid-fire shift of her hands, she found the button of his trousers. The zipper. Sweeping her thumb over the prominent bulge, her shoulders shaking slightly as she giggled, the moan he made in response like a melody as she did it again. Felt  _him_  against the pads of her fingers. Already  _so good_  and  _needing._ Her.

In a swift motion, she unbuttoned his pants and pulled them down over his rear, then running the palm of her hand over him through his boxers.

So  _much._

 _Yes_.

God, she  _wanted_ it.

Rippling through her mercilessly. This  _anticipation_ , all raw and fresh and blooming beneath her skin. This promise of having him.  _Soon._

_Let's see how he likes this-_

She moved her hand from the front of his boxers, eliciting a disappointed groan that vibrated against her neck, making her nearly whine in response as she regrouped. Lifted her head to press her lips against his.

Sucked on his tongue wantonly as she gently eased his boxers down, the frivolously silky material sliding down his legs to crumple against his trousers.

Seto felt her sharp intake of breath against his lips. Then something like a smile as she pulled away slowly, her fingernails brushing  _almost_  there, lingering on his inner thighs coyly. Almost shyly.

Her eyes gazing up at his. Something like a spark of mischief twinkling there even as his two fingers began to move within her again, the flash of pleasure shuffling through her exquisite features making him impossibly more wanting.

Those enormous pupils swimming in blue-green still locked on his own. Even as she shifted her hips lusciously in response to his ministrations, his fingers quickly becoming nearly  _dripping_  once again as she sighed, her face lighting up momentarily as she closed her eyes at a particularly  _good_  thing he managed to do. Yet somehow she managed to look up at him in  _that_  way. Even then.

Challengingly.

Waiting for him to  _beg_  for it-

"You want it?"

Her tone thick. Soft. A half-whisper that curled around his ears. The back of his neck. Rustling through the fine hairs there. Traveling down his spine and settling around his groin. Inflaming him further.

"Tell me." Velvet. Almost firm.

He closed his eyes as she continued to run her fingers along his inner thighs almost innocently. Allowed his head to droop forward to press against her own, his breath coming out a pant. Shallow. Half sticking in his throat, coming out almost sweetly against her mouth.

" _Please_ -"

_Touch me-_

_-don't stop-_

A shock of coiled fire tightening within him as he  _felt_  her smile even wider, boldly reaching her hand around him as her other hand moved up. A  _beautiful_  sigh rolling off his tongue as he felt her palm wrap around his length and begin to stroke. Slowly but confidently. Learnedly. Her thumb running over the head, nails skimming with  _incredible_ gentleness as he felt her head move away, then her lips on his jawline.

_My god-_

Ishizu nearly chuckled at the way his features contorted oh-so-slightly, as if he were struggling with all his willpower to hold on to the façade. The facsimile of control. A tiny tugging at the corner of one side of his mouth as she nipped at the skin of his neck. Her motions around his length growing more rapid and fluid as she kissed his way up to his ear, then nibbled on the lobe as he nearly  _whined._

Her voice suddenly matching his own as she moved her hips against his fingers, bringing him back to life as he drew his thumb around her clit in a way that made her want to scream.

_Now._

She pulled away for a moment, then dove back in, pressing heavy, lingering kisses to his ear. His jaw. Neck. Lips.

"Seto," she breathed out between kisses, the taste of his name on her tongue all strange and new in this way. The wetness between her thighs only building as he manipulated her flesh, adding a third finger to the two already stroking at her all  _slickly_ and  _good-_

"Fuck me."

_Yes._

_Now._

_Gods-_

Like an order Seto was helpless to obey, the motions of her hand around his length already working him up so  _well_ that  _of course- Anything. Yes. God._

The mere thought of being  _inside_ her as soon as he could manage it making him impossibly harder as her deft fingers kept stroking.

The words had barely left her lips before Seto swallowed them, pressing his lips to hers as he gently removed his three fingers from between her legs, prompting a slight noise of displeasure from Ishizu that set his blood boiling, his skin coming alive with sparking nerve endings all dazzling and unceasing. Fine hairs on the back of his neck disgustingly sensitive to her quiet outbursts.

_Now._

Pulling away briefly, already missing the softness of her mouth, he moved the hand wrapped around his length, the fingers glistening slightly as she lifted it from him slowly. Cautiously. Not understanding.

_Does he not want to-_

The thought of stopping  _now_  nearly wrenching. Leaving her painfully breathless.

"One-one second-" Seto managed weakly as he bent over quickly and found his trousers, now bunched around his ankles. Fingers scrabbling for the back pocket. Wallet.

A small plastic packet, all perfectly sealed, sitting innocently behind banknotes in the billfold.

_Thank god-_

As he straightened up and brandished the unwrapped condom, Ishizu let out a gorgeous, thick sigh, moving her fingers to her mouth delicately and licking them. Then her thumb. Cleaning herself off, the half-glazed look her darkened eyes held as she looked right at him making him nearly drop the damned thing.

"You're prepared, I see."

Her voice low and  _just_  sultry enough to make his hands shake again as he attempted to open the plastic with damp fingers. Like she was pleasantly surprised at his initiative.

She watched him fumble with the condom wrapper with a hint of humor twisting her lips.  _I wonder how long he's been doing that-_

Seto blushed again, licking his lips, his breathing coming in quicker and sharper than he could really manage.

"Yes-well-one never knows-"

 _Ha._ In a quick motion Ishizu was off the desk, turning away from him, and beginning to rub that impeccable rear against his length so  _sinfully_ well as she reached over her shoulder for his silk tie, pulling it to her so her lips could brush against his, her free hand supporting her weight on the desk.

"Like this- _please-_ "

_So I don't have to see that face-_

_-so he can't see mine-_

Seto cursed under his breath, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead as he finally managed to tear open the packet and rolled on the condom, stepping in close behind her so that his chest was pressed tightly against her back, his neck extended so that he could deepen the kiss. Part of him wondering at this choice of position as she let go of the tie; he moved his lips to the side of her neck as she tilted her head to give him access, tiny moans escaping her swollen lips as she ground against him again, both hands now braced on the desk for support.

One of his hands sliding up the wrinkled dress all bunched up around her waist and gripping that soft curve of her body while the other hand took hold of his length, half-sure he was going  _completely mad_ at  _this,_ this damned  _goddess_ writhing against him in this way, pushing all thoughts both rational and practical out of his head, mind fogged with lust as she let out a hoarse cry.

"Mmm- _Seto-_ pl-please-" Tears bubbling at the corners of her eyes as she turned to ash before him. Smoldering embers still glowing and churning within her as he sucked hard on a patch of skin by her ear.

_Please-_

Seto couldn't help but smirk sloppily against her neck as he bucked his hips, brushing his length  _just barely there_ expertly with his hand, right where she  _needed_ him so  _acutely_ ; why couldn't he just  _see_ that and  _fuck her_ already-

"Nnn-you want this?" And he did it again, her thighs pressing together hard as she moaned loudly, hardly caring if the damned  _Manor_ heard her cry-

Ishizu nearly wept, her voice coming out almost a growl as she rubbed against him one last time in a vain attempt to get him to lose control first. To get what she  _so_ desperately wanted-

"F-fuck, Seto- _please_ -" Her eyes squeezing shut as a hot tear collected and spilled from the inner corner of one of her eyes, her eyelids fluttering open as the hand on her waist slid under the crumpled dress, the coolness of his soft palm creating goosebumps against her heated skin. Holding her against him hard. Securing her place as he bucked his hips against her one last time. Already she was  _melting,_ hands and fingers struggling to maintain her upright balance against the desk as a bead of sweat dripped down the side of her face and landed on the fine dark wood.

_Now._

Seto swallowed hard, then took her earlobe between his teeth, voice coming out nearly strangled as he took himself in hand and, as Ishizu whimpered at how  _damned slow_  and  _torturous_ he was being, complied with her wishes.

"Like that?" His voice was a faint hiss in her ear, wobbly and laced with humor as he rocked his hips against her slowly and fluidly, carefully inching into her more fully as Ishizu dug her nails into the wood of the desk, every fiber of her body coming miraculously alive at how  _good_ he felt like this, and how  _good_ she felt all  _filled_ like this; his tongue doing wicked things about her ear and neck, hips bracing hers against his desk, the motions of him pulling away and pushing back in at an increasingly rapid speed making the desk  _thump_ and shift place on the floor ever-so-slightly.

Seto licked his lips between kisses and bites to her neck as he continued to fuck her, mind gone blissfully blank, nothing of business or professional matters occupying his thoughts now-only  _this._ Being  _inside_ her like  _this_. All tight and  _perfect._ This woman who had tortured his dreams even as she'd stripped before him. Without shame. Without guile. Slept beside him. Touched him with that combination of innocence and practice that made him lose all semblance of self-control.

He  _needed_ to make her come,  _dammit._ Return every such favor she'd granted him, however unwittingly. The hand on her waist holding her firmly in place even as her hips wriggled and writhed against his, his free hand snaking around her body and dipping between her legs in a burst of inspiration. The pads of his fingers beginning to move in circles on her clit even as his hips rammed against her rear, driving deeper, Ishizu's shaky moans growing louder and less inhibited with every thrust.

" _Ohh-_ "

Like a hypnotic song.

As she registered what the hand between her legs was doing, her knees nearly turned to jelly, all errant thoughts leaking from her mind as if through a sieve.

This man. This  _asshole_  whom she  _hated-_ playing her body expertly, keenly, each brush of his fingers moving in a syncopated rhythm with the motions of his hips-it was like  _nothing,_ no,  _nothing_ she'd ever felt, the  _sensations_ coursing through her body, a wet, limpid storm flooding through everything and turning all thoughts of anything,  _anything_  else into a resounding cry for  _more. More._

_Now._

And he didn't stop. Wouldn't. Couldn't. As if sensing this. His fingers working cleverly on her, something like a burst of nerve endings shrieking through her body as a particularly adept movement of his hips sparked further within her, her head thrown back and almost resting against his shoulder as he continued to stroke. Three long, elegant fingers moving in firm, steady circles on her clit. His hand now on her hipbone, his own hips moving against her at a faster pace as another bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face.

_More._

_More._

_More-_

There was nothing else, nothing, just her and him and the things he was  _doing_  so  _well-_

"Nnn-you want to come, Ishizu?" He pressed another heated kiss to her neck and brought his hips to a standstill, ignoring a sob-like moan from Ishizu at the timbre of his words. Teasing. Roughly. Even as he could  _barely_ hold himself upright for want of  _release-_

_Gods-_

_He's taunting me-_

Ishizu gnawed at her lower lip as the motions of his hips grew erratic, his mouth pausing for a moment to let out a gasping breath that curled across her body like fingernails, making her shudder against him almost violently, his fingers on her side digging almost painfully into the soft flesh as he began to move more slowly and deeply within her. Gallingly so, making her cry out once more in frustration at his unsurprising cruelty in  _this_ , of all things-

Still, though-the words themselves-

It was like he was  _waiting_ for it. For her to  _beg_ for it. The  _bastard._ Always needing the upper hand. To end up on top of the situation, no matter how banal-

He couldn't be thinking of  _stopping-_

_There's no blasted way he's not in as much of a state as I'm in-_

A particularly harsh bite to that sensitive spot on her neck jogged her mind back into the fleshy, prurient reality of all of  _this_. Acutely feeling him make a slow, deliberate motion with his three fingers between her legs, her head dropping sharply towards to her chest as she gritted her teeth. Followed by his voice, almost  _cooing_ in her ear:

" _Well_?"

_How is he so-so controlled-_

"S-Seto-" she managed in a fluid, almost wailing tone as she turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, a tear slipping down her brilliantly red cheek, trailing down her chin and landing on her collarbone.

_Please-_

Seto almost laughed aloud at the sight before him, those plaintive,  _desperate_  eyes all glittering and wet, her lips incredibly swollen and raw, her breath coming in  _impossibly_ loud pants-but as she clumsily reached her hand towards his chest and yanked his tie forward, the silk sliding between her fingers, he closed his eyes reflexively, heart thudding wildly- _dangerously_ -as her lips met his.

_Ishizu-_

Another successful thrust and she suddenly sagged against him, her lower body feeling a  _delightful_ rush, toes curling for the briefest of moments as her vision narrowed into a blissful white light, breaking off into a million tiny pieces as her heartbeat filled her ears, face blooming scarlet with a rush of hot blood. Bright live wires sizzling against her skin. Under. Within. Without.

Drops of sweat trickling down the side of his face, his knees almost buckling as he quickly moved his hands from her body as he hunched over, grappling at the desk for support as he nearly keeled over, her release hitting him like a damned storm, the tightening of those glorious muscles precipitating his own loss of control. Music in his ears, thrumming and vibrating throughout his body as he felt her almost collapse against him, her breaths coming in heaving, almost crying noises as her body absorbed. Began to calm. To settle.

And then there was that flash of pure  _nothing._ That blessed moment. Over and done before he could miss it. Nothing but pure pleasure engulfing his body. Sweeping everything away on some strange foreign tide.

Her heartbeat still flitting steadily in her ears. Her pulse still racing as she felt him press a kiss to her cheek, making sure she was somewhat steady on her own two feet-that he himself could rightfully stand as he gently pulled out, reaching out behind him for that plush black office chair, and collapsed into it, his head lolling back and to one side, eyes fluttering closed.

Slowly he began to recover, his own breaths rough and patchy even as hers began to reach consistency; she straightened up for a moment and began to smooth her dress back over her hips as Seto opened his eyes and took her in. Her long-limbed movements imbued with a heavy, sated grace.

He couldn't help but feel a rush at the sight. Breathing finally calming down even as his heartbeat picked up again, pulse beginning to race through his veins.

"Wait."

It wasn't enough.

His gaze drifted along the hem of her skirt, where the edge of the fabric still concealed her from him. That place between her legs all perfect and lush. His heart beating heavily in his ears.

He  _needed_ to turn her to rags once more.

Ishizu moved her hands from her dress and looked down at him, eyes dark and questioning as he removed the condom and dropped it in the wastebasket under the desk, then slid his pale, endlessly long legs out of his boxers and pants.

_All right, Seto Kaiba-_

_-I've got to get him to that couch-get him to fall asleep just for a bit-_

_-then I can do it-_

Her promise.

Feeling strangely bitter in that moment on her tongue.

"Yes?" She dropped a drowsy air into her voice, followed by a sharp intake of breath as he fell to his knees before her, eyes still bright and hungry as he gazed up at her. Eyes dropping from her own back down to her legs. Her skirt.

_Still-?_

_He's still-_

A delicious shiver coursing through her, unbidden, as he ran a hand through his hair, a sheepish smile curling on his lips. Cheeks pinking, the cream mottling through with pale rose. His eyes searching hers, suddenly wide and round.

Hands smoothing up her thighs carefully. His brow furrowing slightly with concentration. Query.

His voice coming through deep. Husky.

"May I-?"

* * *

 

_He's sleeping._

_Good._

Ishizu slowly disentangled herself from Seto's heavy limbs, the light snores he was making tickling her skin, and quietly rolled off the couch and onto the carpeted floor. Skin suddenly breaking out in goosebumps. Missing his warmth already as she quickly scanned the floor for her panties.

No such luck.

_Blast-_

She looked up and caught sight of the desk.

_Now._

_Quietly, quietly-_

Forgoing the search for her panties, she walked around the couch, carefully avoiding getting her feet caught in the various clothes strewn across the carpet- _not particularly unwelcome reminders, those_ -and came to stand before the desk. Lowering herself into the swivel chair as she regarded the wooden surface.

_Computer-no chance I can get into that-_

_The typing on the keyboard would be too loud, anyway-_

Her eyes darted over to the couch where Seto was still sleeping. His arm bent around his head in a way that  _couldn't_  be comfortable. Bare chest, sprinkled with hair, rising and falling smoothly. One leg bent sharply at the knee. His overall pose rather like that of a Greek sculpture.

She didn't dare to continue looking at that point. Didn't need another small twinge of heated  _need_  as she took in the faint trail of dark hairs gathering around his navel-

 _Don't think about the way he_ felt _-_

Sitting up, biting her lip almost to the point of pain, she studied the desk once more.

_Let's see what's in these drawers-_

Bending over, she extended a hand to the brass handle of the lowest wooden drawer, breathing out a sigh of relief as the well-oiled joints facilitated her near-silent opening of the drawer, its neatly filed papers, all in tabbed folders, sliding to the front.

She climbed out of the chair and came to her knees before the drawer, quickly and adeptly skimming the files with her fingers.  _Projects-Preliminary, 2008-2009… Projects-Final, 2008-2009…_ Piles upon piles on drawings for weapons on tracing paper in pencil. Pen-and-ink drawings of the same weapons, rendered in a more confident hand. Then three-dimensional computer-generated renderings of the same weapons. Missiles. Tanks. Bombs. Assault rifles. All fleshed out in perfect, minute detail. The violence inherent in the images seemed so far away, somehow, from the man sleeping on the couch.

The man who had shown up to the Ishtar apartment in the dark that night-what seemed like forever ago. Hawklike and ruthless as he'd made his demands with all the fury of a monster. All the lazy arrogance of a prince.

The man she was going to kill.

 _So strange_ -

_It's almost like-_

_-like I don't know him-_

She didn't allow herself to dwell upon this line of thought as she poked through the rest of the folders, skimming along various product designs from past years, tax information, impossibly  _dull-_ looking corporate forms, all written in a heavily dense and complex language she couldn't begin to make out.

She slid all of the folders towards the front of the drawer, then rummaged around at the back of the drawer to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

Then-

Amidst dust, her questing fingers brushed against a thin slip of paper.  _So_  thin-almost like tissue paper, even-

With great care she lifted the sheet of paper out of the back of drawer. Blew a layer of dust off the top of the gray- _newsprint_ , she realized, as the once-bold black letters of the  _Domino Herald_ came into focus.

The headline, now clear, reading:

" _KaibaCorp CEO dead at 53; Son, 16, to take over…"_

_Seto's-father?_

Something cold flooded her veins as she brushed more dust off the rest of the paper, revealing two black-and-white photographs: the first, of a stern-looking man with a mustache, displaying the beginnings of a double chin; and the second-

The second photograph was of Seto. Younger. Much younger.  _Sixteen-_

In his school uniform, the simple fabric all buttoned up to his neck. His dark hair much the same-a bit long in the back to be  _entirely_ fashionable, his bangs falling into his eyes.

His eyes cold and narrowed. Disdainful. The coldness in his eyes, so vivid even in an old photograph, resembling that of the man in the other picture. As if he were superior to everyone and knew it.

_That's one Seto Kaiba…_

She dropped her eyes from the photograph and kept reading.

" _Gozaburo Kaiba, 53, CEO of KaibaCorp was found dead last night outside the KaibaCorp Headquarters. Investigators have already ruled the death a suicide, caused by jumping from the window. His adopted son, Seto Kaiba, 16, has been appointed CEO of the Kaiba Corporation with the approval of the board of managers. Seto Kaiba has also been appointed guardian of his biologically-related brother, Mokuba Kaiba, 10…"_

Ishizu felt her heart drop into her stomach as she scanned the rest of the article.

_He took over at age sixteen-_

_-such a young age-_

_-and to lose his parents, too-I wonder when he and Mokuba were adopted-_

His words at their first dinner. " _I'd rather not discuss my childhood, Miss Ishtar. Is that understood?"_

_-there must be something there-buried-_

_Why did Gozaburo Kaiba kill himself…?_

She swallowed hard, then gave a start as she heard a throaty, sleepy groan coming from the other side of the desk. From the couch.

_Blast-_

_-and now I can't go through with it-_

_-I'll have to wait-_

_-again-_

She carefully moved the newspaper clipping back into its place at the back of the drawer and pushed the drawer closed before tiptoeing back around the desk and scurrying back over to the couch, where Seto was beginning to stir. His lean muscles tensing and relaxing as she slid back onto the couch. Into his arms, her back pressing against his front. Her skin reheating _deliciously_  at the contact with his. His eager hands moving to caress her even as his eyes hadn't yet fluttered open.

"Nnn…" Seto moved his lips down the curve of her neck, his fingernails dragging a lazy pattern around her hipbone as Ishizu shivered in his arms. Skin rippling out in gooseflesh.

_-Blast._

_-Dammit-_

She let out a tiny, almost giggly moan as she rolled over onto her back, her eyes closing reflexively when Seto bent down to press a kiss to her lips. Then to her forehead. One on each eyelid. The end of her nose. Her cheeks. Working his way downwards as Ishizu's breath grew shallower, catching on itself and dissolving into breathy panting.

" _Ishizu…_ " Everything within her coiled and fell into ribbons as his sighing mouth found a soft spot on her neck. One hand propping him up as another trailed down her belly  _oh-so-slowly-_

_This is wrong._

Seto tensed suddenly, his eyes snapping open. Wide with fear. His mouth trembling, then hardening into a thin line.

Ishizu almost whimpered when his lips left her throat. She felt that tenseness rip through his body, making his back arch like that of a cat. Polluting his body with cold. Turning all softness and errant tenderness into ice.

_What's happened…?_

Seto quickly and methodically lifted his arm under Ishizu's legs and swung them around, allowing himself to leave the comfort of the couch, Ishizu watching him with increasing amounts of need and bafflement, as he began to walk around his office at a fast clip, searching for his clothing. Tugging on his undershirt rapidly, his eyes watering from how quickly he'd pulled it over his head. Snatching his boxers from where they'd been shucked somewhere by his desk and sliding them on. Remaking himself. Taking back control. What he'd so _clearly_  lost earlier that day-

-and shamefully so.

The way he'd  _felt_ , though-

-the way she'd  _made_  him  _feel-_

Her mouth-

-her hands on his  _body_ -

He'd felt transported. Like crying. Perhaps he  _had_  cried during the moment-feeling  _happy_ - _sated-gloriously_ alive-

_I am truly a monster-_

_-I ought to have said no-_

_-I mean, given our relative positions, it was completely despicable of me to engage with her in that way-_

He found his trousers and pulled them up almost violently, the sleek material nonetheless scratching his legs, then approached the desk once more, where Ishizu had left his belt somewhere along the ground.

Right when she'd-

He clenched his hands into painful fists, digging his nails into his palms as he searched for his button-down, then decided it was pointless when a quick sweep of the room didn't turn it up.

_Stupid. Idiotic of me. Utterly wrong._

"Seto-"

Ishizu adjusted herself on the couch, crossing her legs at the ankle, and looked up at him questioningly. Her brow furrowed, eyes round and wide with worry.

_What is going on with him-_

- _did I do something-_

- _no._ No.  _I played it to the letter-_

"M-Miss Ishtar…" Seto began, coming to stand before where she sat, hands still in fists, the pain hardly registering as he looked down at her, his eyes hard, his chest hollow.

Ishizu tried for a smile. "Now, now, Seto-you can call me 'Ishizu' on a more regular basis now-don't you think?"

_I mean, considering…_

Despite herself, she felt her cheeks prickle with warmth at a lingering memory of a certain thing Seto had done with his tongue only an hour or so earlier-

"Miss Ishtar." Seto's voice was wobbly. Thick. Wound all through with immense amounts of hurt. Already tasting loss like a bitterness in his mouth.

_Goodbye-_

"Given the fact that our relationship has changed-and, of course, the very nature of this change-you are, of course, free to return home. If you like, Roland can be ready to take you back to your apartment in ten minutes-once you've gathered what things you came with, of course-"

Ishizu's mouth fell open, her eyes blazing.  _I can go home?_

His voice coming out in spurts. Breathless. Cheeks reddening with a mixture of misery and embarrassment as further memories of the previous few hours gripped hold of him.

"Consider my quarrel with your family over and resolved. I have made you suffer enough here. You can go home, Miss Ishtar." His throat closing up, the last of her name coming out as a croak.

- _I can go home-_

A genuine tear began to form in the corner of her eye; she nearly laughing giddily as it rolled down her cheek, her hands covering her mouth as if to suppress a shout of joy.

_I can go home I can go home I can go home-_

Seto watched her display of joy-the light that beamed upon her from without and within, and felt nothing.

Emptiness was not a  _feeling_ , per se. Loss was not a  _feeling_.

And Seto Kaiba did not feel  _sadness. Grief._

Those things foreign to a titan of industry. A leader. A champion. A multi-billionaire several times over.

He didn't dare to think of other words-those more softer and pinker in texture and tone-as he continued to watch Ishizu weep with happiness. Her captivity ended. Her time served.

Part of him wondered if she'd done  _that_  with him-seemingly enjoying all of it-in some desperate hope that her efforts would bring the results she wanted-so  _clearly. Dearly. Evidently._

Ishizu wiped the last of the tears from her eyes, her dampened cheeks, her collarbone as she regarded Seto.

_I'm free. Gods, I'm-_

_I'm free-_

_I never have to touch or be near this bastard ever again-_

Upon that thought, something cracked within her. A sour taste inexplicably filling her mouth. She looked back at Seto, who had turned his back to her, the muscles visible through his undershirt as he leaned on his desk, presumably waiting, silently, for her to find her clothes, scattered as they were around the floor of his study, dress herself, and leave.

Walk out of his life. Run out of his life. Freely. Happily. Never looking back.

What she'd wanted all along. Sick of being cooped up like a pet canary in a magnificent golden cage. Fed the finest foods. Clothed in the finest dresses. Given a playmate and a house of servants to do her bidding. Entertained and been entertained at high-society events most people could only  _dream_  of attending. All on his arm. Holding close to her for the sake of her near-survival that which she wanted nothing more than to push away. The man she'd wanted nothing more than to kill in his sleep. End his life. Make him pay the ultimate price for threatening her fractured family, as broken and chipped away as it was.

That was all she'd wanted.

Until she'd wanted  _more-_

_More-_

Like when she'd first felt the stirrings. At their first dinner. After. On the patio. When she'd tried and been rebuffed.

Each night as he'd slept beside her. His wicked touch torturing her in the guise of dreams. Seeping into her mind's eye. Every crevice until it became a painful, inconvenient reality.

Her wanting him.

The knowing of how she'd made him want her in the same was-teasingly, flirtatiously, innocently, wittily, every trick in the book-only adding to the high.

Sparks had burst under her skin when she'd first kissed him. Let him hold her.  _Touch_  her. As if it were all he'd ever needed.  _Wanted_. To feel whole. As if merely  _being_  with her in that way could be his salvation.

And the way they'd-

It had been like nothing else.

The  _feel_  of him still on her skin when she wasn't thinking about it. A certain look he'd given her-thoroughly arrogant and unselfish at the same time-over and over when he'd kissed her. Where she'd needed to be kissed. Touched.  _Dying_  by his hands.

All in service of the ultimate goal. To have her revenge. To protect what little she had to protect.

 _That_  must have been why she felt slightly  _wrong_  standing up like that and hunting down her clothes. Her stomach tied up in knots. Because she hadn't killed him-

The  _only_  reason why.

She didn't dare to think of anything else that was tingeing her moment of utter glee with something like gray.

_There's nothing else._

_There can't be anything else-_

_Can there?_

She retrieved her dress from under a couch cushion and slid it over her.

Yugi's expression from earlier-how he'd looked at her when she'd told him why she'd done all of that-the flirting with Seto. Stripping for him before the cameras. Begging him nightly to sleep in her bed until it because a ritual of sorts. Until she couldn't fathom falling asleep without his delicate half-snores drifting in and out of her ears. Eating breakfast with him. Making him squirm with each move she made while she ate.

A most amusing game, all.

Kissing him-

Letting him kiss her like that-

-holding nothing back-

-that part hadn't felt like a game.

Not anymore.

Shiveringly and strangely real.

And even when-

-when she'd had him on the desk like  _that_ -

-and  _more_ -

And somehow Yugi had known what she couldn't bring herself to articulate.

Why the thought of leaving  _now_ - _like this-_

-left her feeling hollow.

Disturbed.

She found her panties underneath the edge of his desk, balled up and nearly hidden. Wondered idly how  _that_  had managed to happen…

_I shouldn't feel this way._

_I should be happier about being able to go home._

Why did the thought of never seeing him again make her feel sick to her bones?

And-

The thought of killing him-

_All those Seto Kaibas-_

_-every one of them-_

That light in his eyes-

She swallowed it down. All of it. Closed her eyes for a moment.

Felt something break further.

Something blooming in her chest.

A lack of bitterness. Warm. Cool. All these things.

Something like a weight lifting off her back.

_Forgiveness-_

That wasn't quite the right word for it.

Why she hadn't managed to do it all those other times. Kill him. The agony she'd felt when she'd clutched the pillow between her hands. Poised over him. Ready. Willing.

Unable.

Each and every night he'd slept in her bed. So fragile. On that thread between life and death without even knowing it-

And she'd never managed to push him over. Topple him.

_Why?_

She didn't dare think of it.

She almost felt like floating.

She wanted to cry again.

As Seto looked at her one last time, his eyes dulled, she knew he had thought of it.

Already.

In his own, idiosyncratic way, perhaps-

But it was  _eating_  him alive.

She'd worked it  _perfectly._  Every move played exactly right. She'd made him  _want_  her.  _Desire_  her.

 _Miserable_  at the thought of not having her-

She'd worked it too well.

Something like a butterfly-a pack of them-in her chest, her stomach as she looked at him once more.

Heart like a stone. Crushing every butterfly with finality. Blood pulsing through her veins, everything roaring to life within her.

_Yes._

As Seto watched her cautiously, his eyes wary, she walked over to him cautiously. Hair streaming over her shoulders. Like a perfect vision of what was leaving him. She couldn't have been real. His subconscious teasing him. She must have left already-

And then her hands moved to his cheeks, her hips pressing up against his, and she kissed him. Freely. She shivering in his arms as his hands moved automatically to her waist. Holding her there against him. Like he was afraid she would try to leave. Disrupt this lie. This vision he was entertaining. Holding onto like it would slip through his fingers.

He groaned as he broke the kiss. "Miss Ishtar-what the  _hell_  are you doing?" His eyes hard but bright, his hands leaving her and falling to his sides. Tensely. Perfectly controlled.

Ishizu felt a lump in her throat dissipate as she looked up at him, softly letting go of his cheeks. Searching the planes of his face for something like acceptance. Want. That same  _thing_ inside her veins that charged through. A reflection of it in his expression.

"I-I don't  _want_  to leave, Seto Kaiba." A crooked smile lit up her features. Dazzlingly bright. Eyes shining with something like honesty. What he'd so rarely seen in her face-something that seemed to be wholly and truly Ishizu. Gentle. Intelligent. A little strange. Slightly twisted.

All of these things he couldn't bear to let walk out of the room. Not then.

Seto stepped back and placed a hand on his forehead, releasing an almost piteous groan. "There  _is_  a term for this, you know. It's called Stockholm Syndrome."

_And it's clear she has something like it-to want to stay, even after I told her she could leave-_

_-the sex can't have been_ that  _amazing-to break the laws of logic-_

Ishizu laughed then, a crystalline bell-like peal. "Seto-I mean, I wouldn't be so quick to diagnose-after all,  _I'm_  the one who-well-got us into this precarious position in the first place. And-well-I'm  _fairly_  certain that, you know,  _certain_ emotions have to be involved for it to actually  _be_  Stockholm Syndrome."

Seto quirked his mouth slightly, despite himself. "And you would say there  _aren't_  certain emotions involved in your  _ridiculous_  decision to stay here, Miss Ishtar?"

Ishizu returned his smirk wholeheartedly. "Well, I  _do_  have to keep  _some_ cards to the vest, Seto Kaiba-maybe I just  _really_  enjoyed having sex with you-" She stepped in closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, watching as the last vestiges of fear were whittled away.

He bent down and brushed his lips against her ear. "So-Miss Ishtar-does this mean we're, like, a  _thing_  now?" His voice was wry. Sardonic. Mocking ever-so-gently.

Ishizu giggled. "My goodness, Seto Kaiba-I guess you'll have to find out."

She rose onto tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Then to his cheek. Then to his ear. "Get on the couch, Seto-and I think calling me 'Ishizu' would now be appropriate."


	9. Blue Rose

"You've been holding out on me, Seto Kaiba." Ishizu turned slightly and lifted her head to look at the man in the bed beside her-the brunet currently tracing intricate patterns into the skin of her back with lazy fingernails-her lips curling into a cheeky smile.

Sunlight streaming in through the dark blue curtains, pooling warmly in golden patches. The coverlet crumpled up at the edge of the bed, threatening to fall off onto the carpeted floor. Sheets with an impossibly high thread count now twisted around their naked bodies.

His eyes anything but cold as he lay beside her, his position on his stomach mirroring hers. His bangs falling into those sparkling blue eyes, half-lidded with drowsy want.

_How strange._

"Nn?" Seto dropped an errant string of kisses along her elbow as his hand moved further south, cupping her rear and making her laugh, before returning to skating its meandering way along her spine.

"This bed is  _so_  much more comfortable than the one you had me sleeping in." She rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, letting out a thick sigh as Seto's hand continued its drifting linework on her ribcage and belly. "I've never slept so well in my life."

Seto smirked, drawing an invisible circle around her navel with his pointer finger. "I think it's because I rather wore you out last night,  _hmm_?"

_To say the least-_

Ishizu swallowed a wide grin, her cheeks heating patchily as memories of the previous night-and day, for that matter-dropped something coiled and wetly wicked below her belly.

The way he'd kissed her. Done more than kiss. Like he knew what he wanted. Asking for her permission, eyes shaded with need, then taking. Drinking deeply, his every goal her pleasure. That worship she had dreamt of. Each minute, perfect touch begging another. And eliciting another. Endlessly. Until stars had risen and burst within them. Between them. Every shard of glittering silver raining upon them. Ecstasy in merciless, twisting waves.

Several times. Never sated.

The things he'd  _done_  to her-

Still, she lifted her hand and flicked him hard on the shoulder blade. "Cocky asshole."

Seto went on blithely, smoothing his hand along her side, grasping one of her thighs, the nails digging  _oh-so-lightly_ into the soft flesh, smiling as he heard a hitch in her breath. "I mean, I'm not one to be self-aggrandizing, Ishizu…"

Ishizu rolled her eyes at him, sticking her tongue out childishly for good measure.  _Like hell you're not, Seto Kaiba-_

"False modesty doesn't suit you, Seto…"

Seto raised an eyebrow, shrugging his shoulders as he tapped his fingers on her hipbone idly. "Eh-perhaps you're right." He moved closer to her and kissed her neck almost sloppily, his teeth nipping at the tender flesh there. Then a whisper.

"Besides, you  _like_  it when I'm cocky, don't you…" His voice a purr. Husky. Sending shivers down her spine as his hand moved again. This time to her inner thighs.

Ishizu felt that flutter within her, pressing her thighs together reflexively, earning a smug smile against her skin from him as she trapped his hand there. Between strong muscles encased in softer skin.

"I-I have mixed feelings about that, S-Seto…" Her words coming out in throaty gasps and starts until he silenced her utterly, his lips pressing against hers with all the urgency of the first time. When he'd had her. She him. In his office. On his desk. Quick and needful and  _everything_. The thrill of discovery all breathless and rushing around them. Through them. Until there'd been nothing to do but bask in that brief afterglow.

Until he'd smiled darkly at her and bade her sit on the couch. Dropped to a crouch before her, graceful as a cat. Spread her legs apart gently but insistently, as he had in her dreams.

Fulfilled.

She felt him smirk against her lips before he pulled away, throwing the remainders of the sheets off of him and rolling out of the king-sized bed. Dug around on the floor for his boxers and slid them on, Ishizu pouting as she propped herself up on her elbows and watched. Observed. The lean lines of his body as he walked over to the door, pulled it open and picked up his tray with his breakfast and newspapers.

Each move of his making her  _want._

There were two croissants along with two cups of rich black coffee on the tray.

Seto rolled his eyes- _clearly nothing stays a secret in this damned house-_ as he brought the tray over to the bed, where Ishizu had sat up fully and was stretching her shoulders and back, her arms bent above her head sharply as Seto's eyes flickered around her body. No longer needing to be furtive in his gaze. Openly  _hungry_  as he sat down on the bed and placed the tray between them. Untied the bundles of newsprint, cheap ink staining his fingertips as he opened up the  _Domino Herald_  and began scanning the local news, his eyes straying as soon as he'd focused them on a column. Glancing over the top edge of the newspaper at her. Her smooth, unself-conscious movements. A smile lighting up his face where she couldn't see it.

Ishizu yawned, eyes fluttering closed for a precious moment. "What time is it, Seto?"

 _I daresay we didn't manage to sleep for_ that  _long_ -

After once again creating a reason for them to have to re-dress themselves, their eyes still bright like thieves', Seto had indeed called in sick to work. They'd slipped out of his office, his shoes and her bare feet making delicate clacking noises on the wood floor as he'd led her up to his chambers. Showed them all to her. The sitting room. His bedroom, all perfectly decorated. Elegant, even. Tastefully done.

Like teenagers, they'd practically raced one another to that bed. Him reaching it first and pulling him on top of her, her sighs resonating within his chest as he'd run his fingers just under the hem of her dress, creating ripples of gooseflesh along her skin. Each touch like the first time. Each drag of his nails different and wholly new. Each kiss she'd pressed to his neck surprising him with how intensely he reacted to it. What it inflamed and inspired in him as well, spiral-like.

Afterwards, they'd curled up together in that bed. Her head on his chest, resting comfortably despite his bony frame, as he'd run his fingers through her now quite-mussed hair. Not talking. No barbed words exchanged. No need to. Just to lie there and watch as their breathing synchronized and smoothed together into one rhythm. Let the hours melt away like tension rolling down their backs.

"It's nearly seven." Seto bit into his croissant and held out the other plate to Ishizu, who accepted it, sitting up and crossing her legs, the sheets winding around her waist. He lowered the newspaper into his lap as he reached for his teacup.

Biting into the pastry, she spoke around a mouthful of food. "Seven?"

_Seven-_

_Right about now-_

_He'd be bringing me my breakfast. Telling me the plan for the day-_

She smirked to herself as she recalled how she'd brought the man sitting beside her on the bed essentially to his knees with her breakfast attire. Lack thereof. Undressing. Eating habits. Each more sensual as the days wore on, growing together into one long tender chain of teasing. Building in intensity and blessed pressure until-

_No need for that sort of thing anymore-_

She studied Seto, her gaze alighting on the slight furrow in his brow as he studied the newspaper in his lap, meticulously finishing his breakfast and drinking his coffee. She dropped her eyes along the elegant curve of his spine. The thin but defined muscles of his arms. That handsome, patrician profile, made even more appealing by the ruffled state of his hair.

_If someone had told me two weeks ago that I'd be here-_

She wiped her mouth, licking the last bits of flaky pastry off her fingers as Seto closed the newspaper and rose, leaving the used plate and teacup on the bed. Ishizu's eyes moved hungrily down his torso. Lower.

She felt her cheeks heat up as Seto, noticing her sudden fixation, quipped wryly, "my eyes are up  _here_ , Ishizu." Snapping her gaze to his, she stuck out her tongue once more as she saw the brightness of his eyes. The private joke they shared now.

Ishizu laid her plate on the tray and slid herself across the bed, climbing out to stand beside him, a seraphic smile on her lips as Seto continued, voice lazy, "yes, Ishizu. It's seven. Now-I  _have_  to be at the office today.  _No excuses_."

_Though I'd like nothing more to stay home and-_

_-well-_

He let out a thick breath as Ishizu nipped cheekily at his pale neck, her hand sliding into his as he brushed a kiss onto her forehead.

"Shower?"

It didn't matter who suggested it.

As Seto stood before the bathroom mirror, carefully working the razor across his chin and neck, his hair sopping wet and nearly hanging into his eyes, Ishizu sat perched on the end of the bathtub, hair in a towel turban, watching his neat, precise motions. Occasionally making eye contact with that vivid blue gaze. Each time he seemed to see  _into_  her. Each time like another surprise.

Surprise that she was  _here_ , all places-

_In his bathroom. His shower. His bed._

_His arms._

The prior morning she'd been holding onto that goal. Her mantra. Planning to do it. To ruin him. End him. Everything. Perfectly laid the trap over the preceding weeks-making him want her in every conceivable way. It hadn't been hard, that-

Rifling through his drawers like peering into his mind. Almost too intimate-more intimate, even, than the reason he was sleeping on his study's couch, his every breath sending a ripple of shivers down her spine.

Something strange had indeed occurred.

_Don't question it._

"Yes?" Seto asked, noticing her gaze lingering oddly on his reflected one, lifting the razor from his chin as his eyes grew wide.

Ishizu shook her head, lowering her gaze to her bare knee as a genuine, tiny grin curled on her lips. "Nothing." She dragged her toes around one of the flowered blue floor tiles.

_Somehow-_

_-this strange man-_

- _the most ruthless man in Domino-_

-he'd turned out to be more. Such a prickly enigma. All layers connected and equally true to who he was.

_Cold._

She'd seen-and experienced-that side in full when he'd practically burst into her family's apartment. Insisted on taking a hostage. Revenge dripping from his mouth like the blood of a fresh kill.

He ran a bloody arms company, for goodness sakes'-no doubt he could not afford to be otherwise.

_Decent._

He hadn't had to provide for her. Didn't have to introduce her to Mokuba. To Yugi and Téa and everyone. Didn't have to try in some small way to make the Kaiba Manor feel like less of the cage it had been.

_Opportunistic._

The way his hand had pressed into her often-bare back, leading her through crowds of bloodthirsty paparazzi. Lips at her ear. Using her presence and mere existence for his own selfish gain. His image for the public.

_Observant._

He'd picked up on the little strands throughout her conversations with his associates and clients. Her love of art, dating back years and years. Her intense study of it. Then-the way he'd had his private collection brought out for her-for her own enjoyment and pleasure. No ulterior motives behind that gesture-his voice purely excited and ragged as he'd anticipated and been gratified by her happiness.

_Generous._

Every employee of Kaiba Manor seemed to be someone he had helped get back on their feet. Allowed to work hard and be rewarded for that effort.

As she stood up and unwound the towel from her hair, Téa's words came floating back to her:

" _He's an incredibly difficult man. Judgmental. Proud. Arrogant. Unsatisfied. Angry. But-I promise you-he's not all awful-I know it's difficult for you to believe me. But I can't help thinking-from what I know of you, that is-perhaps, had you two met under different circumstances…"_

Stranger circumstances than most.

And yet…

_I've seen all of those facets._

The newspaper clipping, still kept at the back of his desk drawer after all those years, providing a clue to a whole new set.

As Ishizu slid on the dress she'd worn the previous day, balling up the panties and putting them in one of the pockets, she turned towards Seto, who was finishing the final touches on his attire, his fingers hard at work on a pale gray tie.

"May I go see my family today?"

_I should let them know that things have changed-that I'm really, truly all right-_

_I could also get my books and such-for my research-_

Seto looked at her, eyes wide with surprise, a tinge of annoyance crawling into his voice. "You don't have to ask permission, Ishizu-I told you yesterday that you were free to leave, even, if you wished."

"Ah-right."

_This might take some getting used to-_

Seto smoothed out the front of his suit jacket, walked past her and picked up the briefcase left by the door. He pulled the door open, gestured for her to step across the threshold, then followed her out into the hallway and closed the door behind him.

_What do I do now?_

Ishizu looked up at him then, biting her lip, eyes large and cautious.

_Is it too much to-to kiss him goodbye?_

Seto reached up to scratch the back of his neck almost nervously as he looked down at her.

_Well-_

_-is it appropriate to-_

"Um." The single syllable sounded utterly  _odd_  coming from such eloquent lips.

Ishizu nearly wanted to laugh to cover up the burgeoning, queasily simmering tension.

As she reached out to pull his face down to hers, to brush a kiss onto his lips, Seto leaned down to kiss her briefly, causing her to accidentally poke him in the cheek. Hard.

It was then that Seto allowed himself to chuckle, noting with a twisted pleasure the embarrassed look on Ishizu's face as her hands moved tentatively to his jacket lapels.

His lips moved against hers softly, teasingly in some imitation of a kiss. Then he smiled, reached out his hand, pulled her closer to him, and firmly cupped her rear over her skirts, making her giggle with a combination of surprise and glee.

"It won't  _always_  be this bizarre, Ishizu." His husky whisper sent a jolt of heat trembling through her.

Recomposing herself quickly-though Seto, of course, had noticed the almost invisible sag of her shoulders with a thrill-she returned his smug smile, her fingers trailing down his front to play with his belt buckle.

"Glad to hear it."

He kissed her then, sliding his tongue along her lower lip coyly as he pressed his hips against hers, his hand on her rear holding her against him tightly.

"You  _do_  realize I  _might_  be slightly compromised during work today."

Ishizu laughed then, that glowing look lighting up her features-the one that made Seto's chest feel incredibly constricted, his heart gone all hummingbird-like and intensely alert.

"Right. As if you've  _haven't_  been for the past week?" She raised an eyebrow at him challengingly, her laughter even more infectious as he turned his head away, rolling his eyes so as to not appear mortified at her rather accurate assessment.

He couldn't resist pressing one last kiss to her forehead, inhaling her sweet, clean scent deeply. Her appreciative sigh making him swallow hard. Resist that monstrous urge within him that was commanding him to press her up against the wall and kiss her properly.

"I'll drive myself to the office. Roland will take you wherever you need to go."

Ishizu bowed her head. "Thank you."

As he turned and walked down the hallway, his hands coming to rest in his trouser pockets, Ishizu licked her lips, a hint of anxiety creeping into her tone as she called after him.

"Um-Seto?"

"Yes?" He turned around quickly, hair falling in his eyes in that  _incredibly_ appealing way.

Ishizu smiled sheepishly, walking briskly to catch up with him. "How  _exactly_  do I get out of this wing of the house?"

Seto rolled his eyes, a mocking smirk twisting his mouth-rather attractively, she noticed.  _All this time, and she's still lost in this house?_

"This way." And his hand came to rest on the small of her back almost tenderly as he led her down the corridor.

* * *

 

Ishizu pressed her fingers against the tinted window of the limousine, peering out at the careworn shop with the paint-chipped apartment above.

_Home._

"Excuse me, Roland-we're here."

The sleek black car pulled to a stop in from of the shop. Ishizu opened the door to the backseat before Roland could protest and stepped out of the vehicle, shading her eyes against the sudden harsh brightness of the mid-morning.

_Marik should be in the shop right about now…_

She adjusted the baggy, rather shapeless silhouette of the simple dress she had left in, briefly looking down at her sandaled feet and chewing on the inside of her cheek.

_What will my brothers say when I tell them-_

_-that Seto and I are now-_

_-involved-_

She took a deep, calming breath and made her way up the ramp, eyes tearing up at the sight of that old sign above the doorway-the one announcing to the world that here sat the Ishtar Antiquities Company-and the tiny "open" sign in the window by the door.

_I'm home._

Clenching one hand into a fist to stop her hand from shaking, she lifted the other to the door. Paused, then knocked, clearly and confidently, on the slightly grimy front door.

On the other side of the door, Marik Ishtar closed the ancient laptop he'd been typing on furiously, recording all of the most recent sales-though there hadn't been many to speak of-in a spreadsheet. "One moment, please!" He pushed his glasses up his nose and refastened the top two buttons of his tan button-down before walking around the old, dusty desk towards the door.

As he quickly opened the several locks on the door and pulled it open, briefly squinting against the flood of sunlight into the dim room, he took stock of Ishizu, standing there on the doorstep, and uttered a loud, high-pitched gasp.

"I-Ishizu-" His eyes immediately watered and spilled over, tears of joy and surprise running down his cheeks, his nose dripping as he pulled his sister into a tight embrace, as if he would never let her go now that she was here.

_Sister-that asshole let her go-thank the gods-_

Ishizu felt hot, stinging tears well up in her eyes as she smelled her brother's familiar scent-like shampoo and old books-and buried her face in his shoulder, the two of them standing like that for a moment, straddling the threshold between indoors and out.

She let go first, smiling up at her youngest brother and playfully ruffling his hair. "Miss me?"

Marik wiped his nose with his sleeve and laughed, his voice still thick with tears, "n-no, Sister, not in the s-slightest-" He stepped aside to allow her to enter the shop, shutting out nearly all daylight as he closed the door behind her.

Flipping the sign in the window to read "closed", he slipped his hand into hers. "Odion's up in the apartment right now-he'll be so glad to know that you're coming home-"

At this, Ishizu felt a guilty lump form in her throat.  _Ah._  "About that, Marik-"

Marik, however, wasn't listening, leading her blithely back outside, into the hot, miserable sunlight, through the side door to the shop, never letting go of her hand, his hand nearly squeezing the life out of hers as he pulled her up the staircase to the Ishtar apartment.

Pushing the door open, he called out, his voice catching noticeably. "O-Odion-guess who's come home-"

Odion, who was currently in front of the stove cooking something that smelled positively  _wonderful_ , turned around quickly, his black ponytail whipping around his face, raising his oven-mitt clad hands as his eyes grew large. "Sister-"  _Ra be thanked, she's home-_

He walked around the kitchen counter, practically knocking Ishizu over with the intensity of the bear hug he wrapped her up in, his muscled arms nearly lifting her off the floor as she could only cling to him and let out a tiny squeak of alarm.

"O-Odion-Brother- _please-_ " she half-gasped, half-laughed at this display of emotion from her usually stoic brother, fighting the urge to kick playfully at his shins. "You-your food will burn, Odion!"

Odion reluctantly let her go, placing his hands on his hips. In his apron and mitts, resplendent with his face tattoos, he looked a rather odd picture-and entirely Odion. "I'd throw it out and start over, Sister."

Ishizu rolled her eyes as she looked up at him. "And burn down the building in the process-go!" She felt herself slipping back into that elder sister-motherly voice she so often used with her brothers-that ever-aggrieved tone tinged with a dash of humor and reluctant acceptance of whatever her younger brothers had managed to get up to-

As Odion shook his head good-naturedly and returned to tending his cooking-some sort of egg frittata, from the look of it-Ishizu felt like shrinking into the floor under Marik's intense stare. As if he were examining her from top to bottom to make sure she had come home unscathed. Untouched. Whole.

"So how did you get the bastard to let you go?" came Odion's deadpan, deep voice from in front of the stove as he pinched some spices into the frittata and stirred.

Ishizu licked her lips nervously.  _Perhaps I ought not to share that part-_

"I-I actually have something to tell you, Brothers." She looked down at her feet, feeling her cheeks burn with utter mortification, her eyes begin to well up with half-idealized tears once more.

Marik immediately broke into a sweat, reaching over and placing both his hands on Ishizu's shoulders.  _Oh gods-that asshole_ did  _do something-_

From where he stood, Odion turned off the stove and walked around the counter once more, his face gravely serious as he exchanged a look with Marik.  _What could have happened?_

"Ishizu-are you  _all right?_ "

Ishizu looked up at him and smiled despite herself, her voice coming out thoroughly strangled from the lump in her throat. "Oh- _I'm_  fine-don't worry. It's just that-um-while I  _am_  free to come back here-"

_I'm staying. With him._

"-I've chosen not to. For now."

_I-_

_I've found something-_

Marik narrowed his eyes as he studied her face more carefully this time, a dreadful sense of anxiety stirring in his stomach.  _What on Earth could she possibly mean-she's free, but isn't coming home-?_

Odion reached his oven-mitted hand to grasp Ishizu's arm firmly. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse and barely audible. "Sister-think about what you're  _saying_. Seto Kaiba is the man who  _threatened_ our family. The man who  _took you hostage_. Treated you only  _Ra_  knows how. And-"  _And you've chosen to stay with this man instead of coming home to us-_

Marik nearly spat in disgust, his lavender eyes gone a shade darker with fury. "What did he  _do_  to you to make you say that-did he threaten you-threaten  _us_ -Sister-Sister,  _please_ -" He ran out of steam, squeezing her shoulders hard beneath the sleeves of her dress, two tomato-red splotches staining his cheeks.

_Think about what you're doing-_

Ishizu nodded almost sadly as she patted Marik's tense hand gently. Soothingly. Her eyes gravely serious as she thought carefully. Picked her words.

"Brothers-I'm not coming home because-"

The words she had chosen fluttered away on gossamer wings.

_I daren't say it._

_Not even to myself-_

She pressed her mouth together in a thin, hard line. "I'm staying because it's my choice now. And this is what I have chosen."

Odion dropped her arm, his eyes growing stony, and walked back over to the stove to flip his frittata onto a small plate. The muscles in his back tense, visibly so, as he carried the pan to the adjacent sink and began to scrub vigorously. Saying nothing.

_I guess he's done with trying to convince me, then-_

_-or perhaps done with me altogether-_

Ishizu calmly turned her gaze back to Marik, who was looking down at the ground hard in an attempt not to cry again. His arms shaking noticeably as he removed his hands from her shoulders and wrapped them around his midsection as if trying to hold himself together in an act of desperation. She feeling every ounce of agony he displayed so nakedly. Like an open wound.

"Ishizu- _why_?" he managed to choke out, before he moved to flop onto the worn couch, clutching one of the decorative pillows to his chest as if it would ground him to this Earth. Save him. He pushed his glasses up his nose and glared at her with blurry, accusative eyes.

Odion spoke up flatly from where he was drying the pan, his back still to them. "She obviously thinks she's in love with him. It's called Stockholm Syndrome."

Ishizu gritted her teeth in annoyance as she clenched her fists at her sides, willing herself to stay calm. Placid. The surface of a lake. "I am  _not_  in love with Seto Kaiba, Odion-I-I  _just_ -"

_I don't suppose justifying my staying by discussing how much I want to jump his bones again is prudent-_

She closed her mouth. All appropriate words fleeing the distant corners of her mind as she dug her nails into her palms.

As if understanding something, Marik suddenly narrowed his eyes at her, his mouth falling open with shock. "You  _didn't_."

Odion barked out a harsh, cold laugh as he carried his frittata to one of the chairs by the couch and sat, balancing the plate on his lap. "Of course she did. It's written all over her face." Not waiting for a response, he lifted his fork and cut off a neat piece of frittata, which he placed into his mouth.

At this, Ishizu felt her face grow hot, a sickening feeling churning within her, her vision narrowing to a single wavering point. "That-that's none of your business."

_How the hell did he figure it out-_

Marik threw the pillow dramatically back onto the couch as he came to a standing position, his entire face gone pale with embarrassment and rage. " _Ishizu-_ "

_I can't believe she would do that-with him of all people-_

"Marik, what I  _choose_  to do and  _whom_  I choose to do it with is  _none_  of your concern-" Ishizu paused, lifting a hand to cover her mouth, realizing that she had given away too much-confirmed Odion's accurate suspicions-her reaction only hammering it in further. Setting it in stone.

"Ishizu-" Marik raised his voice again, his tone accusatory and scolding.

"It's not like that sort of thing is entirely foreign to me, Marik-"

_-after all, I am twenty-eight-_

Marik blanched and covered his ears, squeezing his eyes shut. "I don't need to think about that, Sister-"

Odion cut in, his voice rumbling acidly. "I think what our brother objects to is  _whom,_ not necessarily  _what_ -"

Marik lifted his hands from his ears long enough to retort, his lower lip curling petulantly, "no, Odion-I  _do_ have a problem with  _what_  as  _well_  as  _whom_ -"

Ishizu pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head exasperatedly. It would be funny if it weren't so damned  _sad._ The way Marik was unraveling before her eyes as Odion withdrew into himself further and further, lashing out remotely and detachedly and only increasing their younger brother's evident distress.

She cleared her throat once more. Her voice firm. Decided. "Marik. Odion. Now that you two are done arguing the particulars of my private life-"

Marik and Odion flicked their gazes over towards her. Marik's eyes filled with tears. Odion's face remained perfectly neutral. Almost apathetic.

"I came to see the two of you before I headed back. If you won't accept the choice I've made-please allow me to collect my research materials and leave in peace."

With that, she nodded curtly at both of them and walked out of the living area towards her room, where she set to grabbing the duffel bag she'd taken along when she'd flown home, making sure her laptop computer and file folders were packed securely, before surveying her room.

The small futon on the floor. The one grimy window. The worn furniture. All things of home and comfort. Memories of her father telling her stories as he'd tucked her into bed. Memories of Odion and Marik coming to curl up beside her when they'd had bad dreams. Memories all faded and gone rosy with nostalgia. For how things had been.

Once and never again.

Lifting the bag's strap over her shoulder, she looked around her room one last time before walking through the narrow hallway back to the living area, where Marik and Odion had not moved. Odion's plate still half-full of now-cold frittata. Marik standing still with tears streaming down his face.

"If you don't have anything more to say to me, Marik, Odion, then I'll be on my way out." She tried to keep her voice level as she folded her hands in front of her, examining the nails and picking at the skin.

_And they won't even say goodbye-_

"You said you would always protect us, Ishizu. That you would never let anything hurt us." Odion's voice was a mutter, directed at the ground. Not even accusatory. Just matter of fact. As if he had accepted her failure and moved on. Let it slide off his tongue.

"I've kept my promise." Ishizu's voice was calm. Sure. Unruffled.

Odion looked up at her, his eyes blank. "Have you?"

* * *

 

Seto picked at his salad and stared out the floor-to-ceiling windows of his top-floor office. The grid of the city with its endless cars and people like tiny toys beneath him. Movable. fragile. Flick one building and it would slide into the next, toppling over endlessly like dominoes.

_Hah._

He crossed his legs and dropped his gaze to the rather listless clumps of lettuce and chicken in the plastic container. The sad-looking brownish avocado slices. The sickly yellow-orange tangerine slices that supposedly constituted flavor.

_Note to self: fire the cafeteria workers who thought this was acceptable._

Having had only in-office meetings back to back, with only this small half hour available for lunch, Seto hadn't exactly been able to be choosy in the KaibaCorp headquarters employee lunchroom. Keeping his voice low, his bearing poised. Ignoring the amazed and shocked looks from the various mid- and lower-level employees seated at the plastic tables, their surprise even uglier under fluorescent lighting.

Sighing to himself, the sound echoing throughout the large, empty office, he lifted his plastic fork and stabbed a piece of white meat.

_I suppose I ought to eat up-_

_-I have to keep my strength and energy up-_

At this, he smiled to himself as he swallowed the bland, cold chicken and swung around in the swivel chair, placing the plastic carton on his desk.

The morning had been a blur. Memories of the morning's activities swimming behind his eyes as some utterly  _boring_  employee made some long presentation. Entirely distracted, his eyes glazing over as he'd nodded politely at all the right moments.

The afternoon not looking much better, for that matter-

_Ishizu Ishtar-_

_-who would have thought-_

Certainly not he. As he'd seen her for the first time, in that shapeless dress that did her figure no favors, she'd registered as attractive, yes. Beautiful, even. Her blue-green eyes wide and wet, her expression mournful and timid as she'd taken her idiot brother's place.

He certainly couldn't have anticipated that she'd-

That  _he'd_ -

Well, he could have anticipated  _wanting_  her. Seeing her in her gowns each evening, her bewitching and curious mannerisms-that chameleon-esque, almost slippery way she adjusted her behavior depending on the situation, all perfectly done-how could he  _not_  have been entranced? It was practically a foregone conclusion when she'd agreed to leave with him that fateful night.

Like a puzzle, Ishizu was. All the different sides of herself that he only saw hints of here and there, bits at a time. Her magnetism. Her fear. Her pride. Her inner strength.

Her  _happiness._  Her incandescent warmth that lit her up from within in those rare moments. All eyes on her like moths to a flame. Impossible to deny. To ignore.

_Not to mention-_

_-well-_

Seto chuckled under his breath as he speared a soft chunk of avocado and placed it into his mouth.

The  _way_  she'd done it. Uncannily. Stripping before him each night. Asking him to stay with her in her bed. The scantily-clad breakfasts. Her  _manner._  Her  _body._  All these things inspiring a  _need_  so fierce that it nearly torn him apart.

Until it hadn't.

Until she had looked at him with those large, bright eyes, her skin kissed by firelight, climbed onto his lap, and challenged him to kiss her.

 _Everything._  It was  _there_. With  _her._  In  _her._ Inherent. She caught the flame that passed from his lips to hers and stoked it. Let it warm her from within until she was wanting just as much as he.

And then-the following day-

- _on my desk_ -

He'd never  _done_  anything like that before.  _Nothing_  with that same tender yet animalistic,  _throbbing_ ,  _screaming_  want that made all rational thought abandon him entirely. Only wanting to bestow pleasure upon this  _magnificent_  creature who inspired such feelings in him.

The  _guilt_  afterwards. After the waves of arousal had ceased. He'd regarded her with a potent, almost virulent mixture of fear and strange  _unhappiness_  curling around his neck. Veering on choking the very life out of him-

Until she'd chosen to stay. With him.

Somehow.

Against all odds-

-perhaps it wasn't quite Hell after all.

* * *

 

Ishizu wandered throughout the corridors of the Manor aimlessly. The world blurring at the edges of her vision, her hand trailing the wall in a listless effort to keep track of where she was.

_Odion-_

She thought of her brother, his face dull and empty, as he condemned her. Cruel in how casual it had been.

_What could have driven him to say that-_

_-that I've broken my promise?_

_Everything I've done-_

_-I've done for this family._

_Put off college to work to support us while the business was struggling-_

_-put off graduate school when Father died-_

_-all for the family._

_For us._

Ishizu's free hand curled into a fist as her eyes filled with unwanted hot tears. Them falling down her cheeks like burning.

_I want something that is mine. For myself._

_-is that wrong?_

She wiped at her face with the sleeves of her dress, the rough fabric scratching the skin beneath her eyes.

Anger, bright and burning, seethed within her. Liquid within her veins. Anger at Odion. At Marik, who had done nothing to contradict Odion's baseless condemnation. Stood by. His silence tacit acceptance of his brother's claim.

Anger at herself-

For this-

_Everything I've done-_

A memory of Seto from the previous day dropped into her mind's eye. That  _look_  on his face when she'd told him she was staying. Fear and a wild, birdlike hope.

Something more that she dared not consider. Something too frightening for the limits of her mind.

How that look of his had made her  _feel._

Feel  _things._

Feel  _everything._

Like fire and rain all in one.

Suddenly it was as if he was before her then. The mere thought, the mere suggestion having summoned him to her. His eyes cold and nervous. Wide. Gentle, almost doe-like in their innocence. Innocence playing as cynicism.

Something cracked further within her. Another heavy load replaced by impossibly lightness as she thought of him.

She wiped away the last of her tears and allowed herself a tiny smile.

_I've made my choice._

* * *

 

He found her in the room with his art collection, her keen, careful eyes examining every inch of the Calder stabile on its post, her lips parted in pleasure. Lost in her examination. Her concentration flawless.

"I thought you might be here."

Ishizu's hair fell about her shoulders as she looked away from the artwork, eyes wide with surprise.

Her face lit up with a gentle smile in that way that threatened to unmake him.  _God_.

"Seto-I didn't hear you come in." She walked around the pedestal and approached him, her hands folding in front of her almost shyly. That awkwardness again blooming between them, almost tangible enough to touch as her grin grew slightly nervous.

Seto ducked his head in acknowledgment of the tension.  _Is it all right to kiss her now-is that too cute?_

 _God forbid I'm cute._  The small word was practically distasteful to him as she stepped in closer, closing the gap between them and pressed her lips to his.

His eyes fluttered shut automatically, moving his free hand to her waist, the throaty moan she then made against his lips causing him to drop his briefcase with a loud  _thud._

_I am such an idiot-_

Ishizu pulled away, mirth sparkling in her eyes. "I won't tell if you don't."

Seto groaned from deep within his chest as he leaned forward once more, clutching at the fabric of her dress with both hands as his lips found her neck. "How magnanimous of you, _Miss Ishtar._ "

Ishizu pressed her thighs together, willing her breath to stay even as he sucked on a tender spot below her ear. Her hands floating upwards to clutch at his hair. Everything sharpening and coiling together in heated, frothy desire.

" _Ishizu-_ " Her name coming out in a ragged breath.

Without warning she found herself pressed against a wall hard, his hips rubbing against hers almost past the point of control as his hands began to hike her skirts around her waist. He gripped her hips in place against the wall, another moan tearing from her lips as his lips drifted lower. The sucking on her neck turning into light bites, each one more electric than the one that came before it.

"I've-I've been thinking about you all  _day_ , Ishizu-" His hoarse voice against her flesh almost praying. Already preparing to worship and to sully by the same token.

Amidst a whirl of want, Ishizu managed to grab at his hair long enough to lift his head from her skin. "Seto-someone could see-"

_It's not like we're in his rooms-or his office-_

_-gods, though-_

_-him-_

His eyes, bright with desire, met hers, sending a shudder through her every fiber.

"Isn't that what makes it fun?"

His voice was perfectly husky and dark. Almost silky, a wide leery grin spreading on his lips as Ishizu released a wanton cry and pulled his lips to hers once more, rolling her hips against his in a slow, deliberate circle.

* * *

 

"You do realize you've got quite the propensity for giving hickies, Seto?" Ishizu rubbed uselessly at a mark on her neck and shifted in the passenger seat of the car.

Eyes focused on the road, Seto smiled to himself.  _I regret nothing._

"I like marking what's mine."

Ishizu groaned in annoyance, poking him in the side, making Seto nearly swerve out of his lane as a low laugh issued from his lips. " _Ah-ah_ -hands off the driver, please-"

She acquiesced reluctantly, leaning back in her seat and taking in the rolling landscape from her window. He was taking her away from the downtown sprawl of Domino City, driving smoothly past verdant fields and forests she hadn't even known existed. Flowers falling from the branches like confetti, littering the road before them with pink.

As if sensing her question, Seto glanced over at her and spoke. "I'm taking you somewhere for the night. Somewhere I think you'll like-"

Ishizu blushed, her hands clasping one another in her lap tightly.  _Where in the world-_

"A hotel, Seto?"

_Doubtless he can afford something like that, but there's no need for it-_

Seto shook his head briefly. "Somewhere better," he replied, making a sweeping right turn and coming up to what looked like-

-the bank of a small lake-

And by the shore, a little boat all paneled in dark wood.

Ishizu's eyes widened as she turned her head sharply to look at Seto. "Is this-"

_Yours?_

Seto nodded as he pulled over and stopped the car. "I thought you might like to spend the night on my boat. It's nothing much-a small little craft, but she's served me well over the past few years-"  _Of course, Hawkins' is much larger-much more gauche, if I'm honest about it-_

 _Of course he has a boat._ "You sail?"

"Don't often have the time. But I  _do_ know how, if that's what you're asking."

_Of course he knows how to sail._

_Rich people-gods help me-_

Seto turned off the car, which rumbled with an ostentatious purr as it went to sleep, and opened his door, climbing out of the car and practically jogging around the front to open Ishizu's door before she could do it herself.

Ishizu pushed open her door right as Seto pulled, and she climbed out of the car, her sandaled feet creating a crunchy noise on the rock-and-sand ground.

She shaded her hand with her eyes and took in the view, breathing in the fresh air. Positively idyllic. The pristine, flawless body of water, with a grove of trees surrounding the far edge. No one around for what seemed like miles. The faint singing of birds whistling through the slight breeze.

"I suppose this is your private lake, too?" Her voice held a hint of humor as she turned to look at the man beside her.

Seto  _tsked_  at her, his hand moving to the small of her back as he led her towards the boat. "Now, Ishizu-don't be  _ridiculous_."

* * *

 

"I thought that, before dinner, we might go for a swim. The water's  _lovely_  at this time of year."

Seto quirked an eyebrow at her as he slid off his jacket, then his shoes and socks. Unbuckled his belt with nimble fingers, untucking his button-down and unfastening the buttons before casting it aside along with the strip of leather. Then his undershirt joined the pile on the smooth wood of the deck. His perfectly pressed trousers followed until he was standing before her in his boxers.

Ishizu's eyes flickered over his body as she licked her lips unconsciously, her cheeks going all flooded with warmth.

A cruel grin lit up his features as he watched her watching him. "Your turn-or would you like some  _help_  with that, Ishizu?"

Ishizu rolled her eyes, bent down and unfastened her sandals, then pulled her dress over her head. "I think I've demonstrated my facility well enough in this area, Seto."  _Ha._

Seto watched her unclasp her bra and tug her panties down her legs with a silent thrill, then followed suit with his boxers. He walked over to the front of the boat, Ishizu following, the pair of them basking in the warmth of the sunlight on bare flesh, and climbed on top of the wooden railing, grasping one of the vertical poles for balance.

Ishizu's eyes traveled down the length of his back, focusing briefly on his  _excellent_  rear end before he looked back at her, smirked once more, and dove neatly into the clear waters of the lake, breaking the surface cleanly with nary a splash.

He soon popped up above the water, which came up to about his chin, and lifted his arm to beckon her to follow him.

"Come on, Ishizu-the water's fine." His darkening eyes narrowed, his voice becoming velvet.

"Unless you're  _afraid_ , that is…"  _Let's see if that gets her in the water-_

Ishizu rolled her eyes once again, ignoring his egging her on, and pressed her lips together as she followed his example, clutching the pole and unsteadily climbing onto the wooden railing.

She looked down at the water. So far below. Seemingly deep and shallow.

Her vision blurred for a moment.

Seto watched the slight shift in her expression, a thread of concern in his voice as he began to swim closer to the boat.

"If you don't want to swim, it's perfectly all right-"

"No-no-" Ishizu stammered, cheeks heating once again. "It's just been a while-"

She inhaled deeply, gulping down one last lungful of air before she jumped into the water from the deck of the boat, the coldness of the lake knocking the breath from her lungs. Her hair floating around her, almost sentient, as she came up for air, her eyes screwed shut in response to the frigid sensations encasing her body.

"Seto! You blasted liar-the water's  _freezing_!" She dipped her head under the water, trying to acclimate herself as her legs kicked wildly like noodles in thick soup, willing her body to adjust. Adapt. Accept.

The water wasn't too deep-she could scrape the soft, rising pieces of dirt with the pads of her toes when she delved below the surface.

Seto smirked at her as he swam over to her, the sunlight gleaming off the surface of the crystal clear water, each drop of water on his skin a tiny diamond, his eyes dark and bright.

"I daresay I haven't the foggiest-" he began in an airy tone, only to sputter in a rather undignified manner as Ishizu skimmed her shivering hand along the surface of the water, splashing him with an icy wave that soaked him through.

" _Shit_!" Seto half-screamed, half laughed, as Ishizu dropped back under the water and swam towards him. Through the water he could see her approach him when she moved up right before him, sliding her body against his and wrapping her arms around his neck, breaking the skin of the water and pulling his mouth to hers.

"That's what you get for being so  _tricky_ ," Ishizu purred, biting his earlobe playfully as Seto's hands found her rear and pressed her hips against his.

Running his hands up her sides to wrap around her waist, Seto couldn't help but grin a tiny, evil grin as Ishizu moved her hands from around his neck to rest on his shoulders.

"I can live with that," he breathed as her lips pressed along his jawline-then, in one fluid motion, removed her from his body, swung her into a bridal-style position in his arms, lifted her above the surface of the water and tossed her. Her grin fading into a round  _o,_ her dark hair sticking to her shoulders, as she flew several inches and fell into the lake with a resounding _plash_.

_Asshole-_

Ishizu lifted her head above the water and stuck her tongue out at him, treading water, the now-lukewarm lake rippling around her. "I guess someone's sleeping alone tonight…"

Seto shook some water out of his hair, swam over to her once more and grabbed hold of her, her slender arm so soft beneath his palm. He pulled her close once more, a warm laugh coloring his voice.

"Now, Ishizu, what are the chances of  _that_  happening?"

* * *

 

The sun dipped behind the last cloud, leaving behind a fantastically red sky quickly darkening to violet as Ishizu wrapped herself up tightly in the thick comforter she'd found in the ship's cabin, sitting on the striped picnic blanket Seto had laid out on the ship's deck and looking out over the still lake.

Inside the cabin's kitchen, Seto was hard at work-had been for a good twenty minutes now, she supposed. Whipping up some sort of dinner-no doubt his perfectionist nature was making everything  _that_  much more difficult for him.

_Seto Kaiba, cooking. I never thought I'd see the day-_

She glanced back over towards the sealed-off cabin before looking back out over the water, holding the blanket around her as a slight breeze threatened to chill her bones.

_I do hope he's all right in there-_

The creak of a door's hinges made her jump slightly. She turned her head towards the sound and saw Seto, clad in his undershirt and boxers, hair still sticky and drying from the swim in the lake. In his arms a simple wooden tray with three plates and a pitcher of water-a distorted mirror of their many breakfasts together.

So much had changed so quickly.

 _Though my state of dress is largely similar_ -

Ishizu couldn't help but grin quietly to herself at the thought.

She felt her chest grow tight with something stirring as Seto walked towards where she sat and set the tray down before her, then coming to sit facing her, his legs crossed in front of him like a child's.

His cheeks were slightly red, his eyes darting from the tray to her face and back again.

_He's nervous…?_

Ishizu was almost charmed as Seto's eyes narrowed, his shoulders hunching, his voice annoyed and defensive as he demanded:

"Well-are you going to try it or not?"

_I surely have embarrassed myself with this silly gesture-_

Ishizu looked down at the plates on the tray to find two heaping servings of grilled salmon, perfectly pink with parallel char lines, along with a dollop of mashed potatoes and some assorted grilled vegetables. On the third plate-

-a single slice of perfectly  _decadent_ -looking chocolate cake.

She looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, sliding the blanket off her bare shoulders and extending her arm towards one of the plates of salmon. The blanket slid down her back to settle around her waist as she crossed her legs under the thick material to mirror Seto's, balancing the plate on her lap.

"You remembered-"

It wasn't the first time-but it was such a small, errant detail-

Seto smirked. "It's not like your penchant for chocolate is something easily forgettable."

_That's putting it lightly-_

He handed her a fork, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Well, eat up. After all-"

Ishizu looked at him as she accepted the utensil, her eyes wide and questioning.

Seto leaned in and brushed his lips to her ear, his voice thick with perfectly wonderful implications. "You're going to need your strength."

* * *

 

Ishizu's eyes opened slowly, the stars behind them having ceased their endless bursting, the sensations on her skin only just beginning to wear themselves out as she gripped Seto to her, her nails digging into his back one last time as she sighed, her forehead nuzzling against his.

_Oh-_

Seto climbed off of her and down on the picnic blanket beside her, his heavy breathing evening out, a droplet of sweat running down his forehead as he leaned over to press a wet kiss to her temple.

She shivered and smiled sleepily at him as he sat up and pulled the comforter over their bodies, then scooted in close to her, his lips at her ear. Voice still breathless.

"Do you want to be the little spoon?" Mocking. Teasing. The unbearable  _twee_ -ness of the idea.

Ishizu poked him in the shoulder playfully, her lips turning upwards. "You just want to feel my ass against your-" Seto silenced her train of thought by leaning over once more to press a kiss to her lips, his hand bracing against the ground for support.

He smirked against her mouth. "How  _vulgar_  of you, Ishizu."

Ishizu rolled her eyes as he flopped back down onto his back and found her hand by her side under the blanket, his heart thrumming just a little bit faster as she entwined her fingers through his.

Something stabbed at his lips from within. Trembling. Desiring to emerge. Whole. Naked. Shuddering.

The most vulnerable thing.

_I need to tell her._

Ishizu broke out into a slight sweat when Seto spoke, his voice sounding far away, "I never told you about my childhood, Ishizu."

_The newspaper clipping-does he know-?_

Ishizu licked her lips and pressed her forehead into his shoulder almost tenderly, willing the erratic nature of her pulse to even out. Steady.  _There's no way he could know. He would have said something_ -

Still, it was like she'd caught him raw and unawares. Without his permission. Invaded. Intruded.

Like a boulder sitting on her chest.

"You-you don't need to talk about it, Seto," she said softly. Trying to hide that nigh-despicable,  _awful_  curiosity that bubbled within her despite herself. Despite her misgivings.

The desire to know. To understand.

_The key to the riddle that is Seto Kaiba-_

Seto turned his head to look at her, squeezing her hand briefly, his eyes dark and serious. Almost frighteningly earnest. "No-I  _want_  to-"

Ishizu nodded and slid closer to him, rolling onto her side and laying her head on his chest. His heartbeat quickening against her as she moved her hand to rest beside her face. Stroking the thin hairs soothingly. In preparation for him saying terrible things. For her having to hear terrible things.

Seto closed his eyes, slipping his hand out of hers, dragging it up to run through her tangled hair as he let out a ragged sigh. His other hand coming to rest upon hers, dragging his nails on the back of her palms gently round and round.

_Now-_

"I-I was six when my parents passed. Mokuba was an infant at the time." His voice perfectly flat. Normal. Controlled. As if he were discussing something innocuous. Like the weather.

"None of our relatives would take both of us, so we were sent to an orphanage-and that-well." His hand stopped and gripped hers tightly. "Again. No one wants a smarmy brat and a baby to boot."

He'd been so-

-so-

- _innocent_  then. Guileless. Optimistic, even. Hopeful. Wide-eyed.

So easily capable of being hurt.

Seto shut his eyes, a lump rising in his throat. Pinching his voice to a hoarse, tiny sound as he continued.

"When I was ten, Gozaburo Kaiba came to the orphanage. Some press nonsense. A show of goodwill for shareholders. Something I have to do as well from time to time-"

Ishizu bit her lip.  _Gozaburo-the man from the newspaper-_

_Seto's adoptive father-_

_-the man who killed himself-_

Seto squeezed his eyes shut, a slight pain digging itself between his brows.

Gozaburo been so  _tall_  to ten-year-old Seto. So  _big._  His every move connoting power.

His tiny, beady eyes observing everything. Missing nothing. Quantifying. Judging. His mouth hidden beneath that awful mustache.

Seto gripped her hand tightly. His voice more controlled now. Still slightly quavery around the edges. Something he could perhaps hide from a more casual listener.

Not Ishizu.

"I knew we needed to get out of there. Mokuba was-so  _small_ -he was picked on. By the bigger boys. Bigger boys than I was."

_That's why-_

_-I made my deal with the devil-_

"So I challenged him to a chess match. If I won-he had to take us. Both of us."

He remembered sitting across that small table from the hulking businessman. Mokuba standing behind him, hands clasped. A bead of sweat falling into his eyes as he'd considered every possible move. The white and black squares coalescing before his eyes

"I won."

_As a ten-year-old child?_

_-He's brilliant-_

Ishizu piped up quietly, "so he adopted you then?"

_And then he became the CEO of the Kaiba Corporation-at sixteen-_

_-gods-_

- _what a responsibility-_

Seto's voice was bitter. Bleeding into scraping sarcasm.

"He did more than that. He groomed me to be his successor."

_By any means necessary._

"I was tutored by the finest instructors. Studied languages, computer science, literature, the arts-and business. That above all."

_Ruthlessly._

Seto continued, his shaking fingers making further knots of Ishizu's hair.

"Mistakes in anything were… costly."

Ishizu blanched as she caught his meaning. Her heartbeat slowing, then quickening as she felt his grow erratic. His hand squeezing hers to his chest, his lips pressing together almost painfully, making tears pool at the edges of his eyes.

Still he pressed on.

"When I was sixteen-I staged a coup. Banded with Gozaburo's top advisers and associates and ousted him."

_I wanted it all._

_So that's how he became the CEO-_

Ishizu's eyes widened in horror, her breath stopping for a moment.

_That must be why-_

"Gozaburo jumped from the window of his office at KaibaCorp headquarters. Because he knew that I had won again."

_That I was superior. Capable of more cruelty than he could ever be._

"I've been the CEO ever since."

The words floated from his lips and hung, loaded and shimmering and sickly, in the air.

Ishizu swallowed hard, her mind racing wildly. Trying to stop herself from trembling as she clung to him.

_Fear?_

_He's colder than I could have imagined-more ruthless-_

_-beaten into him as a child-_

Seto's voice was almost inaudible. "I killed my stepfather, Ishizu."

She lifted her head to look directly at him, words slurring and breaking.  _No-_

"You-you did  _no_  such thing, Seto Kaiba-"

Seto cut her off, his voice edged with ice. "I understand if you want to leave."

_I understand if she-_

_-doesn't accept it._

_Me._

_Because of this._

Ishizu gritted her teeth as she dug for answer. Something that wouldn't sound maudlin. Pining. Too romantic and silly for the gravity of the moment-

_He's being foolish. Self-flagellating-_

Something clicked in her mind. A piece swinging into place.

She lifted her face to his and kissed him. Gently. Deeply. Feeling him sigh against her mouth, his lips parting almost automatically.

Her hand moving to his shoulder and gripping it tightly. Digging her nails into his flesh delicately as she sucked on his lower lip, delighting in the way his hips lifted  _ever-so-subtly_ under the blanket. Responding.

Letting her actions speak for themselves.

Pulling away slowly, she flickered her eyes upwards to meet his. Lacing a bit of humor into her voice.

"And?"

His brow furrowed. Confused. Disbelieving.

"And…"

"Is that all?"

_It'll take more than an overdeveloped sense of guilt to get rid of me, Seto Kaiba-_

She felt his heartbeat return to normal as she lowered her head to rest on his chest.

His breathing evened out as his hand slid down, caressing her arm, his lips brushing against her forehead as he chuckled darkly, grabbing hold and pulling her on top of him.

_It'll take much more than that-_


	10. Yellow Rose

"We  _have_  to do something, Odion-" Marik's voice was high-pitched with quavery panic as he paced back and forth in the living room, clutching a pillow to his chest with one hand, the other fiddling with his glasses.

The morning sun had just begun to peek in through the dusty window blinds. Thin strips of light falling along the scratched wooden floor.

Marik swallowed hard, that sticky lump in his throat refusing to disappear, and threw his gaze over to where Odion stood at the kitchen sink, methodically cleaning off the dishes from breakfast and rinsing each utensil, polishing everything until they gleamed. His back and shoulder muscles tensing and relaxing without cease. His motions mechanical. His face blank and perfectly neutral.

_Ever since Ishizu left yesterday-_

_-not a word-_

The silence in the Ishtar apartment had nearly been enough to drive Marik mad. Leaving him clawing at the walls. Wanting to scream. Staying downstairs in the shop until midnight just for the hope of  _someone_  coming in-a customer with whom he could converse.

Breathing in that dust-choked air of the shop.

The anxiety racing in his veins as he'd lain awake in bed, knowing sleep was a long way off.

_How could she have done this? To us?_

_-she must have been coerced-_

_-by that scumbag. That creep. That bastard. That asshole-_

_-that asshole she's chosen over us-_

Nervousness rising up to a boiling point.

And then-

-like the proverbial tea kettle-

" _Odion-_ " He dropped the pillow to the ground and walked over to where his brother, tightly wound around his solid iron core, was emptying the dishwasher load. Putting utensils back in their drawer one at a time. Points and flashes of light glancing off metal like jolts of lightning.

Marik's eyes filled with tears. Acid. Painful.

They began to run down his chin, accompanied by a running nose that he did nothing to ameliorate.

_Odion-_

_-Brother-_

_-why are you so cold-_

"It's like you don't even  _care_ -"

He suddenly grabbed Odion's wrist as he spoke, voice cracked and petulant, causing his older brother to turn his head sharply, eyes narrowing with barely suppressed rage.

The plate in Odion's hand, a nondescript cream color, fell to the floor, shattering into bits and pieces.

A tiny cloud of ceramic dust rose and dissipated between them as Marik looked down, a drop from his nose falling onto the mess.

He looked up again slowly, eyes impossibly wide, breath catching in his chest as he regarded his brother with a measure of worry.

Fearing what would come next.

" _It's like I don't even care_."

Odion's low voice came out tense and gruff as he wrenched his wrist out of Marik's grip and picked up another plate. This one a light peach.

As Marik watched in horror, Odion let the plate fall to the ground and break. Carelessly. Casually.

Another cloud of dust polluting the air between them.

He bent down and picked up another peach-colored plate. Before Marik could stop him he flicked his wrist and practically threw the plate onto the ground, creating an ever-growing mass of broken ceramic.

"Odion-"

_What is he doing-_

_I shouldn't have said that-_

_-of course he cares-_

"You're an  _idiot_ -" Odion gripped the countertop, his arm muscles tensing as if he were preparing to rip the linoleum out of the wall-his shoulders rising up nearly to his ears as his voice grew rough with emotion-

Marik's eyes filled with tears again, his hand hesitatingly reaching out to squeeze Odion gently on the shoulder. "I-I-"

_I'm so sorry._

Odion fixed his dark eyes on his younger brother, watching the smaller man's lower lip quiver with regret at his hasty words.

_If we're going to get Ishizu back, there's no point in acting foolish-_

_-still-_

"Marik, you should learn to  _hold your tongue_."

Odion sighed to himself, bent down and began stacking plates from the dishwasher. To Marik's relief, he placed the stake back into the cupboard and closed the wooden door behind them.

"And  _you're_ cleaning  _this_  up." He gestured at the mess at their feet. The three broken plates, crumbled vetoing recognition or use.

Marik nodded feverishly, eager to do anything to stumble upon his brother's good graces once more, and walked out of the kitchenette to retrieve the broom and dustpan.

It was then that a single tear rolled down Odion's cheek, which he quickly wiped away with the pad of his thumb.

_Sister-_

_-what have you done?_

_-why have you done it?_

As Marik returned with the dustpan and broom, its splintery handle uncomfortable against his palm, Odion spoke again, his voice pensive.

"Don't you think her phone calls were strange, Marik? -The way she went on and on about some ridiculous medical tests I was supposedly having-and of  _course_  I would have told you were that the case, Brother-" He reached out and ruffled his younger brother's fair hair as the latter carefully swept up the ceramic bits into a manageable pile.

Marik bent to his knee and collected the shards in the dustpan. "I know now, Brother-it was just rather  _frightening_  to hear her say such things when I had no possible idea of what she meant-"

_And then-_

_When she called the next day-_

_-it was like she wasn't even speaking to us. Talking past us. In some kind of code-_

Marik dumped the broken pieces into the dustbin and grabbed a towel from by the sink, wetting it and beginning to scrub at the floor where the mess had lain.

"Something's clearly not right."

Marik lifted his head, pushing his glasses up his nose as he glanced up at the hulking figure of his brother. "I mean-I know, but is there anything we can  _do_  at this point? She said he's not forcing her to stay with him anymore-"

 _Anymore_ -

_Not anymore-_

Odion's eyes widened briefly, then narrowed as he walked around his brother's crouching form. Over to the wall telephone, which he picked up and held in his hand, twisting and untwisting the curly cord in his other hand as he looked back at his brother pointedly.

"You're right, Marik-that's what she  _told_ us-but given the strangeness of those phone calls, there's no  _logical_  way we can take that claim seriously-"

Marik stood up then and dropped the washcloth into the sink, running his hands under a stream of lukewarm water and drying them quickly on his khakis as he caught on. "And besides-while she says she's free  _now_ -we know that she  _wasn't-hasn't been_ -for the past few weeks-"

_The only thing we can't do if our sister is still trapped-_

_-trapped by that monster-_

_-or if she won't listen to reason-_

Odion put the receiver to his ear, his hand lifting to punch in the buttons.

"This is the only way we can help her now."

* * *

 

A sudden feeling of warmth bloomed within Ishizu, prickling at her skin as her eyes flickered open.

Gorgeous sunlight, radiantly golden, streaming on them in waves. Infusing the coverlet over their bodies with heat. Cozy. Comfortable.

She was lying on her side on top of the picnic blanket, with Seto right up against her. She felt his lips resting on her neck, his cool breathing even and rhythmic. His chest pressing into her back, his arm wrapped around her waist. Keeping her close.

_Mm._

Trying not to wake him, Ishizu couldn't help but chuckle quietly under her breath.

Somehow-through some strange, half-asleep change in their configuration-she  _had_  indeed become the little spoon. And-

-judging by the unconscious, mumbled groan that tumbled from his lips as she shifted against him-

-he seemed to be enjoying it-

Ishizu felt her cheeks burn-or perhaps it was merely the now-slightly oppressive sunlight-and gently unwrapped his arm from around her and wriggled out of his grasp, coming to lie on her back, her face turned towards his.

His long eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks. The way his lips parted when he breathed. The faintest shadow of stubble beginning on his chin. His hair, filled with all those dark and light brown strands. Locks falling on top of his closed eyes.

He was so damned  _beautiful_  when he slept-

Without her fitted against him, he seemed to be lying in a fetal position.

So vulnerable that way-

" _I never told you about my childhood, Ishizu."_

The boy he had been-brilliant, no doubt. Protective. Innocent. In the orphanage. Caring for Mokuba the way a parent would have-

" _I'll protect you now. Okay?"_

She blinked back a tear as she saw little Odion and even littler Marik before her. The former's face soaked with tears, the latter mewling and wailing in her arms.

She'd had to become their mother in much the same way when their real mother had passed-

-And then-

-in the rain-

-in the graveyard-

Ishizu shuddered to herself, an errant drop of water running down her face as she recalled Odion's empty gaze. Crueler words.

_"You said you would always protect us, Ishizu. That you would never let anything hurt us."_

_I did what I wanted to do._

_I made the choice I wanted to make._

Much the same way Seto had-

" _I killed my stepfather, Ishizu._ "

She shuddered to herself. The fear in his eyes as he'd anticipated her leaving. That same sadness that had flickered. Twisted itself into his features in his study. When he'd thought he'd lost her. Given her leave to depart. Seen her waver before him.

Seen her choose. Him.

For all the strangeness of him. The goodness buried deep. Struggling to tear through the cracks in the façade.

The attraction surely hadn't hurt-

_And yet he thinks he killed his stepfather._

_Seto Kaiba thinks he has that power within him._

_The darkness required to kill someone-_

Ishizu chewed on her lip, remembering that night when she'd stood poised by his sleeping form. Clutching that fluffy white pillow in her hands. Arms tense and ready.

That feeling of rage quivering within. Her  _hatred_  of the man she now lay beside-

_I very nearly did._

_I tried-_

She felt Seto stir beside her. A tiny sigh issuing from his lips as he shifted. Lowering his head to press a kiss to her forehead, trailing a string of gentle pecks and nuzzles down her cheek and neck, his hand coming to rest on her hipbone as she shivered automatically.

A smirk against her skin. "Good morning, Ishizu."

How could such innocuous words hold so many  _filthy_ implications?

Ishizu rolled onto her side to face him, propping her head up on her elbow. Sweeping her eyes over his form, her lips moved into a cheeky smile as she moved the blanket off his hips and looked downwards. "And good morning to  _you,_ Seto Kaiba-"

His mouth pressing against hers hungrily swallowed the last syllable as the hand on her waist curled around her body to her rear. Pulling her hips against his fully, making her hiss out a breath of anticipation.

Moving her free hand to his shoulder, she opened her eyes between kisses and looked at him seraphically, raising an eyebrow before pushing him onto his back, he falling onto the blanket with a slight " _oof"_ , hair falling into his eyes as she moved to straddle him. A groan issuing from his lips as she ground her hips against his lightly.

"Geez, Ishizu-sometimes I think you only want me for my  _body-_ " Seto's voice was lighthearted and teasing, his eyes bright and dark as he gazed up at her, his hands gripping at her hips to hold her in place against him.

Ishizu felt herself warming then, and giggled as she leaned down to kiss him again, biting his lower lip gently, then tilting her head to suck on his earlobe, calling forth something very like a lovely _whine._

"Well," she whispered coyly, her warm breath tickling his skin, sending tiny jolts down his spine, "it's not like it's exactly a  _drawback_  for me, hmm?"

_This woman is going to give me a heart attack-_

"I suppose you're right." Finding an errant ounce of strength, Seto rolled them over so that he was above her, looking down at her and resting on his forearms. Straddling her hips while Ishizu looked back up at him, still more predator than prey as her hand lifted to push his hair out of his eyes, the other moving to rest on his thigh.

_This-_

_-this is something._

Seto's heart thrummed almost too quickly in his chest as his eyes met hers, causing his breaths to come out labored and painting.

_Strange though it may be-_

As he bent down to kiss her again, something tugged at the corner of Ishizu's mind. A question bubbling behind her lips. Simple, but-

-perhaps the mood for it had passed?-

"Seto?" she asked quietly between kisses, her voice soft and hesitant.

Seto's eyes grew large and concerned.  _Is she all right-?_ Climbing off of her as quickly and smoothly as he could manage, he landed back on the blanket and touched her arm gently. "Everything all right, Ishizu?"

Ishizu almost wanted to weep with joy at the worry. The acute  _care_  for her well-being-something she never could have considered prior-shimmering in his eyes. Threaded in the caution of his voice.

She sat up slowly, crossing her legs pulling the blanket over her lap, moving her hand to rest on Seto's own. "Oh, no-don't worry, I'm fine-it's just-"

_I shouldn't be so curious-_

"I had another question-about the things you told me last night-"

Seto's mouth tightened almost imperceptibly, his back muscles clenching suddenly. "Ah."

_The macabre fascination with the awful person I was-_

_-that I still am-_

Ishizu noticed, and immediately her cheeks burned with shame, her hands lifting to cover her mouth as if to stop the already-uttered words from hanging in the air between them.

Seto sighed heavily, his hand moving to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. "You can ask me anything you like, Ishizu."

_Though the answers will likely disgust you-_

She spread her fingers over her lips, the words edging through the spaces between. "Um-I was just wondering-that ramen place you took me to-when I asked you about it, you said you didn't want to talk about it because it-because it was related to your childhood-"

Seto's shoulders relaxed noticeably, his facial muscles softening along with his gaze.

 _Clearly this was not was he anticipated_ -

"Oh, that-? Well, when I was twelve, I-I had a minder-a nanny of sorts to watch over me between my lessons and exams and such-"

_That day-_

His voice came out almost casual. Practiced lightness that made Ishizu's stomach twist.

"One day, Gozaburo-my stepfather-went a little hard on me-"  _Sprained my wrist, matter of fact-_

Ishizu's eyes grew blurry with simmering tears as Seto continued, his gaze focused on her neck. The delicate architecture of her jawline. Her collarbone.

"She took me there to try to cheer me up that afternoon. It was a place she'd grown up eating at, in her neighborhood-and she thought I deserved to get away from the Manor for once-"

That first bite of steaming hot ramen still a memory on his tongue. Comforting. Safe. The restaurant a refuge. Then and now.

"I-I see-" Ishizu murmured, trying to keep her voice even. Her nose slowly growing red from the effort of suppression.

Seto's voice turned bitter. "Of course, she was sacked that evening for letting me out-"

_That bastard stepfather of mine-_

"I never saw her again."

_-and she was the only adult who ever cared for me-_

A loud, unintentional sniffle from Ishizu disrupted his reverie; he lifted his eyes to her and blanched at the obvious tears threatening to spill over.

_Dammit-_

"Ishizu-" he reached out and wiped the escaping tears off her cheeks with the back of his hand.

Ishizu looked down at her blanketed lap, clasping her hands there, interlacing the fingers tightly. She closed her eyes, pushing out the last of the tears, which Seto quickly brushed away. Eyelashes fluttering as her nose began to run.

"I'm so sorry-I shouldn't even have asked-"

Another rock sitting on her chest. Blocking her windpipe. Making her gasp for air.

A knife in her back between her ribs. Rotating slowly with each shuddering breath she took.

_Why does hearing about this story-_

_-about Seto's past-_

_-why does it make me feel this way-?_

_Seto-_

Ishizu felt him press his forehead to hers. His breath tickling her lips as he said softly, running his hands through her hair almost reverently:

"Don't worry about it- _please-_ "

His usually smooth and controlled voice rough with worry. Anguish. So earnest. Open. Made vulnerable in so doing.

Something else that she hadn't dared to dwell upon. Recurring in his words and manner towards her. Increasingly frequent-

Ever patient. Impatient at the same time.

Ishizu opened her eyes slowly, unsure why the prospect of looking into those all-too-fathomable eyes scared her. Thrilled her in equal measure.

Seto bit the inside of his cheek to stop from gasping aloud at the sight of her. All crumpling and radiant at the same time.

_Ishizu-_

She leaned in towards him to press her lips to his before he could say it. The thing that scratched at his lips from the inside. The thing he knew would eat away at him until he got the words out.

Putting it off for only a moment as his tongue moved into her mouth, her hands lifting to pull him closer to her by the shoulders. Every cell in her body coming frighteningly alive as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her onto his lap.

The moment ended when she pulled away. The words she needed to say choking her. Demanding to be given voice. Determined to stop her breathing until she told him.

This.

"Seto," she panted, trying to stop the incessant, wild beating of her heart in her chest. The shaking feeling reverberating within her.

"Nn?" Seto swept the pad of his thumb over her lower lip almost sweetly. Making her melt.

"I-I know you're going to laugh at me or shrug it off. And I know that it-that it  _honestly_  makes no sense for me to-to be  _saying_  this-but-"

Seto's eyes grew bright as he understood.

Ishizu's cheeks had never felt so painfully, brilliantly red as she managed to whisper:

"I think I might love you."

_Blast it-_

Seto paused for a moment, a wide, almost greedy smile spreading on his lips.

_She said it-_

_-that was unexpected-_

"What was that, Ishizu? I couldn't quite  _hear_  you..." He leaned forward and brushed his lips along the shell of her ear, laughing quietly when he heard her groan in response, knowing without seeing that she was rolling her eyes.

"I'm not going to say it again-Seto-"

_Of course he wouldn't be one to make this easy-_

Seto went on blithely, pressing a kiss to her jawline before his arms tightened around her once more, "I mean, I have to say, while I know I'm no slouch in bed, I can quite honestly say that  _this_  is a first-"

Ishizu gritted her teeth irritatedly. "A first for  _what_ , Seto?"

Seto took her earlobe into his mouth, making her shiver helplessly in his arms, before continuing. "I mean, my sexual skills have never made a woman fall in love with me before-"

Ishizu laughed despite herself, the sound almost a bark as he moved to sucking gently on a tender patch of skin on her neck. "I suppose it's your vast wealth and incredible charm that gets them to do that?"

"Something like that." He flicked his eyes back up to her, hungry and bright. "Honestly, Ishizu, you're sure you're not just  _saying_  that so I'll have sex with you right now?" He ran one of his hands along her arm before lifting it, then eliciting another gasp from her as his pointer finger circled a sensitive spot on her chest. Then the other, his pointer finger quickly being replaced by his thumb. Moving gently. Stoking the fire simmering within her.

Her voice trembling with rising need, struggling to make itself audible over his chuckling, Ishizu managed to gasp out, "Seto-you  _asshole-_ I tell you I'm in love with you and  _this_ is how you respond?"

Seto didn't speak then, instead letting go of her entirely, she moaning quietly at the loss of his hands, then gently pushing her to lie on her back. Ishizu pushed the blanket off her lap with shaking hands as Seto moved to lie on top of her, their hips rubbing together in an increasingly frenzied motion.

_Yes-_

Seto's breath now throaty and uneven as he moved his lips to her ear again, propping himself up on his arms.

"You're right, Ishizu."

His voice like velvet, making her squeeze her inner thighs together as he planted a heated kiss on her forehead. Then another lower down. On her ear.

"I love you."

Like a breath. Natural. Easy.

Perfect.

Another kiss. This time on her cheek.

"I love you."

Like he'd been waiting eons to say it.

Another kiss. This one on her neck, making her sigh heavily as he straddled her hips again.

"I love you, Ishizu Ishtar..."

* * *

 

Ishizu pulled her dress over over her head and slid it over her legs, then stepped into her panties and pulled them up around her hips as Seto watched her half-distractedly, still in the middle of re-dressing himself in the prior day's clothes, his pants around his ankles, undershirt and button-down and all still on the floor of the deck.

Ishizu smirked and gave a pointed look towards his boxers, which hung loosely around his skinny hips. "Enjoying yourself?"

Seto finished pulling up his trousers, a leery grin appearing on his features as he looked down at her. "I'd rather enjoy it more if it were the other way around…"

Ishizu raised an eyebrow questioningly as Seto bent down with unconscious grace to retrieve his undershirt. "I'm sorry?"

"You know," Seto replied silkily, voice slightly muffled as he pulled the shirt over his head, "if you were getting  _un_ dressed- _that's_  a scene I don't think I'll get tired of-"

Ishizu poked him hard in the ribs through the shirt, rolling her eyes as she couldn't help but laugh. The sound like a breath of fresh air, capped off by a gasp of surprise as Seto grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her to him, his other hand holding her hips against his as his lips touched against hers  _oh-_ so-lightly. His breathing traveling down her spine. To below her belly, where a sudden need coiled tightly. Demanding outrageous things of her.

Ishizu murmured teasingly against his lips, " _geez_ , Seto, it's like you only want me for my  _body_ …" Her free hand traveling up his torso to rest on his chest, feeling his heartbeat quickening  _beautifully_  as he kissed her properly. His tongue meeting hers insistently, her lips parting as he grasped her hips tightly to his, rubbing against her with no small amount of desire as his other hand left hers and move to cradle her head, winding itself through her hair.

_More-_

_-please-_

"Don't make me say it again," quipped Seto, his voice gentle as he finally pulled away.

Ishizu moved her hand to the back of his neck and pulled his face to hers, their foreheads, her eyes bright and dark as she looked into his. "Say it."

_Those words-_

Seto blushed then, dipping his head to kiss below her ear to hide the sudden redness of his cheeks as he whispered, his voice dark and clever, "get back on that blanket and I'll  _prove_  it to you-"

Which prompted another poke, this time to his cheek, as Ishizu tried to hide the giggle that tumbled from her lips, escaping from behind delicate fingers.

Turning on her heel, throwing him a half-lidded glance that immediately sent need quivering through his every fiber, she walked over to the blanket and turned around once more to face him. Coming to a kneeling position, then gracefully lowering herself onto her rear as Seto approached, another hungry smile appearing on his lips as she leaned back on her hands, extending her legs in front of her and bending them at the knee so that her skirts slid down her thighs to pool at her waist.

"Well?" Her voice was coy, a half-whisper delivered through pursed lips.

Seto dropped to his knees before her, his hands pulling her knees apart, smoothing along her inner thighs as his darkening eyes met hers. Understanding. "Well?"

" _Show me_."

* * *

 

"What-what  _is_  this?"

As Seto drove smoothly up the driveway of the Manor, his brow furrowed, his free hand tightening around Ishizu's, as he saw it.

Three black-and-white cars parked at the door of the house. Red lights on top flashing almost blindingly bright. Six men in dark uniforms and hats standing by the cars, all looking incredibly stern. Téa, Yugi, Joseph, Tristan, Solomon-seemingly all of the staff gathered out on the front steps of the Manor, seemingly all in a state of confusion.

_The police-_

Ishizu's eyes grew round and alarmed as she saw them. Behind one of the cars, looking as frantic as she and Seto felt right then-

A flash of blond hair in a ponytail-

_Marik-_

_Odion-_

Cold, lucid fear washed through her as she tentatively turned to glance over at Seto, whose hand, still gripping hers, was shaking with barely suppressed fury as he, too, saw them. The Ishtar idiot from the shop and another one, this man large and muscular with a partially shaved head and extensive facial tattoos- _what a freak-_

Ishizu pressed her lips together, not daring to meet his eyes as Seto pulled over and turned the car off, watching as the six men in uniform converged upon them. "I-I didn't-I  _told_ them about us-how I had chosen this-" her voice came out strangled and breathless.

_What could they have told the police to get them to come over here?_

Seto's upper lip curled as he looked at back at her.  _I have no doubt of that-_

"Your idiot brothers are going to be the death of me, Ishizu-"

One of the officers, face stern, tapped on Seto's window.

"Excuse me, Mr. Kaiba-you're under arrest."

Seto rolled down the window, scowling almost petulantly, still not letting go of Ishizu. "What are the charges, officer?"

Ishizu, cheeks blazing, buried her face in her free hand with embarrassment.

_Seto-this man is an officer of the law-now is not the time or situation to be rude-_

The officer's expression didn't change. "Kidnapping, Mr. Kaiba. The woman in the car has been named as your hostage by Mr. Marik Ishtar and Mr. Odion Ishtar-" He gestured towards Marik and Odion, who were speaking animatedly with one of the officers behind the mass of squad cars, their features contorted in pain.

Seto's lips curled into an unpleasant smile, his eyes growing dark with anger as Ishizu watched helplessly, heart in her throat. "I see. Those two men told you that I kidnapped this woman?"

_I mean, technically, they aren't exactly wrong-_

_-just a few weeks late for it to be relevant-_

_-the wonders of Domino's law enforcement-_

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba." The officer withdrew a pair of handcuffs and brandished them. "I'm going to need you to exit the vehicle and place your hands behind your back-"

Seto sighed heavily, wearily, and leaned over, pressing a quick kiss to Ishizu's cheek, squeezing her hand one last time before opening his door and exiting the vehicle.

"Don't worry," he muttered sourly under his breath so only Ishizu and the arresting officer could hear, "I have  _excellent_  lawyers on retainer. This won't take very long."

Ishizu nodded, biting her lip nervously as she exited the car and walked around just in time for her to see Seto, his arms cuffed behind his back, being marched over to one of the squad cars. The officer's hand on Seto's head, pushing it down gently so that he didn't hit it on the roof of the vehicle. Seto's eyes bright and hard, his cheeks pinking with embarrassment.

_My staff seeing me like this-positively humiliating-_

_-the only way this could possibly be worse is if that Hawkins bastard were here as well-_

Ishizu felt her hands begin to shake as the officer shut the door to the backseat of the squad car, trapping Seto inside rather like some violent caged creature.

Before she could stop herself, she felt it.

 _Rage_.

Boiling. Bubbling within her, sparking from cell to cell, coloring her cheeks and neck a deep red as she clenched her fists and picked up her pace, walking over to the cluster of officers and crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm going with him to the precinct."

_My brothers-_

_-you knew I didn't want to leave him-_

_-how could you be so_ cruel _-_

_-to do something like this-_

One of the other officers scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as Marik and Odion looked at one another, pure alarm flashing in their eyes. Their faces. Registering in their postures as Marik stammered out uselessly:

"Sister-"

_What kind of hold does this asshole-this monster-have on you?_

"Miss Ishtar, I'm not s-sure if that's standard p-procedure-" the officer replied, his words tripping over one another, the shorter man threatening to wilt under the fury of Ishizu's gaze.

Ishizu's voice dropped to a near-whisper, her eyes burning into the officer's with a frightful intensity. Her demeanor deadly serious.

"I'm not going to ask again."

_Though I didn't exactly ask the first time-_

The officer gulped audibly. "Ah-yes-if you'll come with me, Miss Ishtar-" He motioned to the squad car he had arrived in, then walked over to open the backseat door.

While Marik and Odion watched helplessly, their sister-this  _strange,_  unforgiving creature who had borrowed her face and form-bowed her head in thanks and silently dipped herself into the backseat of the car, her face disdainful and irritated as the officer closed the door.

Another officer tapped the brothers on their shoulders lightly, then pointed to his squad car. "Mr. Ishtar and Mr. Ishtar, if you'll please get in the car, we'll all go down to the precinct to process him."

Marik looked up at Odion, his heartbeat positively hammering in his ears, a sour taste forming in his mouth. "Odion-"

_What more can we do for her?_

Odion placed his hand on his younger brother's shoulder, squeezing softly in an attempt to be comforting. "Let's go, Marik."

* * *

 

Seto wrinkled his nose in what he hoped was a positively  _destructive_  sneer, wishing he could lift his hands to brush this  _one_  annoying strand hanging in his eyes…

_The handcuffs don't exactly make this easy-_

He tried in vain to pull his wrists apart, pure scorn flitting over his face at the fruitlessness of his attempt.

Sweeping his eyes around for what had to be the twentieth time already, he took in the depressingly nondescript settings once more. The sallow fluorescent lighting. One bulb burned out nearly all the way, creating an extremely annoying flicker. The chipped linoleum flooring. The monotony of the desks in their neat little rows, the officers in their dark uniforms scribbling away like useless worker bees.

On the other side of the low wall separating him and the arresting officer from the rest of the room sat Ishizu on a hard little bench, her hands gripping her skirt as she uncrossed and recrossed her shaking legs, her cheeks still burning with anger. Her lips moving as if she were muttering curses under her breath. Shoulders tensed. Ready to strike on his behalf.

Seto couldn't help but smirk then. It was almost  _touching_ -

Her beyond foolish brothers sitting on the other end of the bench, leaving a good amount of space between the blond cretin's knee and Ishizu's leg. Deliberate space. As if she would lash out were her brothers to come any closer. This registering with a strangely bitter feeling.

 _Her brothers may have done something_ beyond  _idiotic-_

 _-but I didn't exactly intend for this sort of-damned_  rift  _between them-_

Ishizu crossed her legs once more, licked her lips, and went back to gritting her teeth. Having already been told to  _settle down, Miss Ishtar_  in an impossibly condescending tone, she'd reasoned that  _perhaps_ causing a ruckus in the precinct would  _not_  be the wisest course of action.

_Despite how much I'd like to do so-_

She was suddenly acutely aware of her brothers' proximities to her. The way they were nearly sitting on top of one another on the other end of the bench, no doubt fearing the extent of her once-nascent wrath. Now loosed. Threatening to be unleashed.

Where was that perfect control when she needed it?

It was rather difficult to remain so composed-so placid-when the man she-

- _well-_

- _loved_ -

-that trite, overly-sweet word that almost made her gag-

-was in  _handcuffs_  on the other side of the room. His eyes bright and snappish as he looked at his surroundings. The stubble on his chin making him look unkempt. Vulnerable. Unpolished. The way his fine suit was bunching around his torso, ruining it, registering with a pang.

His composure shaken. Utterly so.

Perhaps only she could see that-

_And there's nothing I can do-_

Marik dared to look over at his sister, studying her profile with widening lavender eyes. Biting his lower lip, his stomach doing uncontrolled flips as he watched her composure deteriorate. As if she couldn't hold it in any more.

_Sister-_

She was always so controlled. Serene. Motherly. Gentle and smooth and soft and all these things that seemed years and decades away from the woman sitting on the other end of the bench.

Misery plain on her face. Etching itself into her luminous features.

He could count the number of times he'd seen her look quite this way on one hand.

The last time had been in the cemetery, the beginnings of light rain beginning to dampen the three of them through.

_When Father-_

Marik hung his head for a moment while his eyes blurred with tears, chewing on his lower lip as his glasses threatened to slide down his nose. Unable to watch this strange creature who was not his sister.

That wasn't fair.

_She must-_

_-really-_

_-care for this asshole-_

Could he  _really_  fault her for that?

She'd done  _everything_  for them. For the family.

-as far back as Marik could remember-

She'd been the one who'd taught him to read. Helped him hold the tiny crayon in his chubby hand as he made the beginnings of colorful, illegible words. Writing his name. Hers. Odion's. Their father's. The family's.

She'd been the one who'd gotten him ready for school in the mornings. Woke up early in the mornings and packed his lunch-all of their lunches-and walked both him and Odion to school, even though hers was on the opposite side of Domino City.

She'd been the one who had stayed in the city for university. Attended part-time over a chunk of years as she'd helped to care for their sickening, aging father. Putting off her applications to graduate school when his condition had worsened. Only leaving for London and all its opportunities when everyone had reassured her that  _everything_  would be fine-that she should take this one thing for herself.

She'd been the one who had nobly, selflessly taken Marik's place when the rat  _bastard_  had demanded a hostage.

Marik looked away from her, enlacing his fingers in his lap and directing his gaze to the cracked tiles of the floor.

Surely she'd wanted  _more_  than to be so selfless all her life. Had desires she couldn't have expressed to anyone. Gotten tired of being the rock the family clung to. So happy. Putting up with everything.

Always keeping her promise.

" _When Mother died, I made you and Odion a promise."_

" _I promised I would protect you."_

" _Just know that my promise still holds."_

Sometimes promises grow too confining for their original terms. Too constricting.

Sometimes the promises made in one's youth no longer carry the same weight-

Sometimes the makers of promises don't realize the weight of the yoke they've taken on. Don't realize that things-circumstances-can change.

Promises can hold all sorts of forms-

When Marik finally spoke, it was directed at his sister. Listlessly, the words laced through with regret. Cracking slightly. Mouth dry.

"We'll be dropping the charges now."

From where he sat beside his younger brother, Odion stiffened. Reached out his arm and grabbed Marik's wrist tightly while Ishizu, her eyes narrowed with disgust, turned slightly to face them on the other end of the bench. Only a foot between them. But endless space.

Surprise crossing her face like the parting of a curtain as Odion seethed silently.

_Brother-_

_-what in Ra's name are you saying-_

- _this bastard-_

_-took our sister hostage-_

Marik looked at his brother in the eyes, his voice quiet but determined.

"You were right when Ishizu came back to get her things, Brother-well, not quite."

While Ishizu cringed again at her brother's implications, her hands growing slightly sweaty, Odion dropped Marik's wrist, clenching his fists at his sides. "What are you saying, Brother?-There's so way she could  _actually_ -"

Marik's eyes grew inexorably sad as realization dawned on Odion-faintly, slowly then all at once.

"She can't always…"

_Be chained to that promise in the same way._

_Sacrificing everything for our sakes. For the company. Suffering for us-_

_-suppressing her own desires-_

Ishizu took a deep, shuddering breath, her eyes filling with tears of relief as she scooted closer to Marik on the bench and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Thank you, Brother."

_I'm so sorry, Marik… Odion…_

_But this is-_

_-something for myself-_

_I'm so selfish-_

Odion watched his siblings embrace, his dark, hard gaze softening as he reached around Marik and patted Ishizu slightly awkwardly on the hand. "We love you, Ishizu-that's why-"

Ishizu looked up, a tiny smile glowing on her face, lighting up her features from within as she extended her arm to include him in the embrace. "I know, Odion-"

_I understand._

From where he stood, Seto watched the strange display amongst the Ishtar siblings unfold. Unable to read their lips-to understand why Ishizu had suddenly decided to hug those two imbeciles she was linked to by blood-he pouted, rolling his eyes, then watched keenly as Marik walked over to the officer at the nearest desk, his lips moving rapidly, hands gesticulating wildly, occasionally pointing to where Seto stood behind the low wall on the other side of the room.

He saw the officer hunch his shoulders in confusion, Marik's cheeks growing shiny with effort-with embarrassment-as he seemed to struggle to figure out what to say next.

Then, from behind, Seto observed the officer's shoulders sag slightly in a shrug, then-

-in a rather dramatic fashion-

-the uniformed man tore the processing forms he'd been filling out into two clean halves.

_I don't understand-_

He nearly jumped a foot in the air as he felt someone behind him pull his arms backwards, then an apologetic voice ringing in his ear- "my apologies, Mr. Kaiba-" as his cuffs clicked open.

Seto rubbed his wrists gently, wincing as his fingers brushed the red marks branded into his skin, looking down his nose at the shorter man in uniform, who quickly scurried away to whatever pathetic hole he had crawled out of.

_And my damned lawyers never even showed up-_

Seto finally pushed that incredibly disorienting clump of hair out of his eyes as another officer approached and silently bade him to follow, leading him out of the ridiculous pen they'd been keeping him in and around to where Ishizu and her creepy-looking brother were now standing.

Ishizu had to fight from making an idiotic scene as he approached her. From running up to him like some of foolish young girl and throwing her arms about his neck. Disgustingly sentimental and  _romantic_  of her to even  _consider_ such a thing-

Evidently Seto felt the same way. Though for him perhaps the impulse was reduced to not smiling at her fully in public. In front of these people around whom the frosty mask had to remain.

She folded her itching hands before her, but couldn't resist giving him a fleeting, beaming grin, feeling gratified when his eyes flickered at hers with almost a glint of humor. Something like warmth lingering as he smoothed out the front of his suit. Ready to dispense with this nonsense and resume matters. Such that they were…

It wasn't until they were in the squad car back to the Manor, their hands intertwined, that Ishizu began to feel them. Without warning.

Long overdue.

The first pangs of guilt.

_I have to tell him._

_I have to_ -

* * *

 

The remorse, sharp and cold, bubbled inside of her. Rendering her queasy as she lay beside him on what had already become her side of the bed. Her head on his chest. Her breathing in time with his, finally at a reasonable pace. Sweat finally drying on their skins. Her hand laced through his. Perfectly natural at this point for them to be like this-

-to feel like this-

And yet she was going to ruin it. Destroy her happiness with those cruel words. Their tender, fragile stab at joy. Because of that acidic remorse slowly gnawing at her.

_The truth will out._

She sat up in the bed abruptly, reaching for the bedside lamp and turning it on; the lamp's golden glow lit up the room with a raking  _chiaroscuro_  effect. Casting everything in half-darkness and half-light. Little flames flickering across everything.

Seto, half-asleep, felt her sudden absence and sat up, the sheets falling down around his waist as he ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes. Adjusting to the change in the lighting, the yellow-orange burning behind his closed lids.

He swallowed a yawn as Ishizu rose from the bed, clasping her hands in front of her, her arm muscles tensed and motions jerky as she shook in place. Gooseflesh chilling every inch of her skin as she gnawed on her lower lip, eyes filling with unbidden tears as Seto asked, his voice laced through with alarm:

"Ishizu-are you all right?"

The sincerity glimmering in his round eyes making her feel even sicker.

_This will ruin everything-_

_-but he needs to know-_

She looked at her feet briefly. Eyes moving upward to take in the bed. The crumpled sheets she'd been comfortably snuggled under. The mattress.

Him.

In the bed.

As if for the last time.

Surely it would be.

Seto bit his lip and asked again, more gently this time, taking in the strangled body language of the woman before him like a knife to the gut. "Ishizu-please tell me-are you  _all_   _right_?"

_She's shaking-obviously not-_

He scooted closer to her, still sitting on the bed, and reached out a hand to her arm, wrapped around her body like it would hold her together-keep her from shattering-

Ishizu nearly screamed with frustration. "Don't  _touch_  me, Seto Kaiba- _please,_ you can't-"

_You'll surely hate me-_

_-as well you ought-_

Seto paled at her virulent response to his innocent gesture, stomach twisting into tender, tiny knots as he moved his hand back into his lap.

_What can I say-_

_-could I have done something?-_

At Seto's resigned motions, Ishizu allowed a tear to dribble down her cheek. Cooling only for a moment the heatedness of her face. The boiling blood in her ears. Heartbeat thudding like the ticking of a metronome.

_Now._

_Goodbye, Seto Kaiba._

"Seto-you shouldn't be with me," she managed to sputter out, wrapping her other arm around her middle for good measure as she watched Seto's brow furrow with confusion. His lips part as if to deny her claim, to protest-

"Please- _please_  don't speak until I have finished-" Ishizu swiped at another tear with the pad of her thumb almost violently, her voice coming out uncontrolled and high-pitched.

"When-when I volunteered to-to go with you in my brother's place-I-I wasn't merely being selfless-"

_Far from it-_

"I-I went with you because, yes-Marik is the only one who could run the shop and do that work to support our family-to carry on our father's legacy-but-"

She closed her eyes. Not daring to look at his face. Not even to peek at the reaction he would give.

"I came with you-because I was going to  _kill_ you. Be-because you threatened my family-my brother-I was-"

_I was only thinking of revenge._

_Of my family._

_What little I had left to call my own in this world-_

_Seto-_

Seto's spine turned rigid, his skin growing cold. Eyes narrowing. The brightness that had been so warm as he'd looked at her fading. Shifting to ice. His mouth a flat line as his mind reeled.

 _What the_ hell _?_

_Ishizu Ishtar-_

_-you-_

Still screwing her eyes shut, her voice trembling with hiccups, Ishizu continued. "I-I had a plan. I was going-to-to get close to you. To make you  _want_  me. In  _that_ way-and then-when I could-"

_I was going to seduce you and then end you._

_Heartlessly and painlessly-_

_I was going to do it-_

"That-that day-in your study. When you were asleep-I-I went through your desk. Looking for  _something_  I could use to bring you down-I found the newspaper clipping at the back. The one you were hiding-and-"

The rest of her sins. Spilling forth like water from behind a tattered dam.

"I-I  _was_  going to do it nonetheless-"

_Even though-_

"But-" Ishizu took a deep, shuddering breath, trying in vain to steady herself. Call upon the placid reserves she still held somewhere. That perfect control.

_Serene. Calm. The surface of a lake-_

"I-I couldn't do it."

_Not that night in the bed-_

_-not in his office-_

_-not when-_

"I see."

Seto's voice was impossibly neutral. Devoid of anything remotely human.

Ishizu tentatively opened her eyes to look at him.

Far from the screaming, raging figure she had predicted-his frightful  _anger-_ so destructive in its power-

Her blood chilled as she saw him sitting on the bed. His demeanor utterly matching his voice. Face waxy and impenetrable. Eyes gone glassy as he looked back up at her, taking in her bereft form calculatedly and quickly.

_First the arrest and now this-_

_It had to be too good to be true-_

- _for someone to actually want me-_

_-despite all I've done-what I did to her-_

_-her family-_

_-evidently, each move was planned from the start-_

Like a chess board, he her unwitting pawn. From the way she'd acted around him during breakfast. Their dinners. Her alternating, contrasting sets of behaviors. Luring him in with her endless contradictions. Piquing his interest-and holding it effortlessly.

The tears she'd cried in her room. The innocence of her stripping. As if she'd known he could have been watching-

That vulnerability. That  _softness_. That  _strength._ He'd been helplessly drawn to it. To her. Her work had been easy.

And this now. The way she'd kissed him that night. The way she'd caused him to come completely undone in his study. The way they'd-

And this-

Each one-

Her bewitching, nervous eyes when she'd told him just that morning.

_"I think I might love you."_

A charade. A fantasy he'd no doubt incurred. Punishment for his sins. Each one piling up and giving way. Her every behavior honey-like and deadly.

He struggled to keep his mind from breaking apart into dust as he considered with no small amount of fear the naked woman before him.

When Seto finally spoke, his voice was impossibly far away. Almost wry despite the situation. "Well, I've had attempts on my life before, but none so-well- _unique_  as this one. Well _done._ "

He wiped one last bit of sleep from his eyes before he continued, watching her shrink before his eyes with more than a small bit of distress pouring through him.

"Yet your- _well_ - _execution_  was  _rather_ lacking. If you were planning to kill me, you had  _more_  than ample opportunity to do so. You played your hand  _quite_ well, and managed to, indeed, disarm my rationality and my faculties up to the point where, yes, I believed I loved you."

The use of the past tense made Ishizu's breathing stop.

"No-Seto-I-" She unwrapped her hands from around her body and clasped them together before her. "It's not-that's the  _point_ , Seto-I could have. I was  _going_ to-because I  _hated_ you  _so much_ for what you threatened to do to my family-"

At this, Seto cut her off, his voice brusque. "Yes, well, you certainly had me fooled. Rather frightening of you, isn't it? To be able to be such a chameleon-a different Ishizu for all seasons, for all possible situations. Each perfectly calibrated."

He chuckled without humor. "And they say  _I'm_ inhuman."

Ishizu couldn't help it-amidst flowing tears, her eyes narrowed. Her voice a broken retort. "May I remind you that you're the one who  _threatened to kidnap my little brother-_ you think you wouldn't have done the same-wanted the same thing-wanted to make someone who treated Mokuba the same way suffer-like I wanted you to suffer?"

_As if he wouldn't have done the same thing-_

Seto bristled, her remark stinging him, slicing open his too-thin skin.

"That's  _hardly_  the point, Miss Ishtar."

She swallowed hard at his verbal distancing. Already seeming so effortless, her last name dropping from his lips as if he'd never called her by her first name. Moaned it in moments of pleasure. Whispered it in moments of-

-of  _love-_

_Now this._

"I don't see how it  _isn't_ , Seto-I know my intentions were not exactly on the rational side, but  _don't_  pretend you cannot understand what my motives were-" Her voice faltered for a bit, her throat beginning to ache as still more tears rolled down her cheeks.

"You had me locked up in this house. In a single room for much of my time here.  _Using_  me for your own benefit-parading me around as your new lover because you couldn't find an _actual_  willing partner-"

That stung.

Seto hid the automatic wince as she continued, her voice growing heated and sarcastic.

"Not to mention you  _monitored me in the room, Seto-_ yes, I realized the camera was there the night of the dinner with Pegasus-"

Seto felt something painful twist in his chest.  _That damned camera was obviously a mistake-_

"That camera was for  _your_  safety, Miss Ishtar-how was I to know you wouldn't do something ridiculous and drastic in there?"

Ishizu couldn't help rolling her eyes at his heated response.  _Does he think I'm a fool?_

"I suppose being able to see me naked on a daily basis wasn't exactly a  _drawback_ for you-"

_Of course I had to give him a show-_

_-since he'd decided that I wasn't to have a moment of privacy in this blasted prison he calls his house-_

_-who could blame me for using it to my advantage-in any way I could-_

Something else dawned on her. Something cruel and true-

_Besides-_

"Besides, Seto Kaiba-who are  _you_ to be so high-and-mighty-you're the one who designs and sells  _weapons_ for a living-you've likely killed more people than you can  _count_ -"

She wiped her eyes again, wincing at the fresh wave of tears brimming on her eyelashes as Seto seemed to turn even more stony before her.

_Have I gone too far-_

_-this-_

Seto's curt reply came as a slap. "Well, I must thank you for being so forthright with me, Miss Ishtar. It feels like I'm talking to an entirely new woman." He licked his lips, watching the shifting expressions on her face as something like rage and misery intermingled in his veins. Permeating him. Suffused.

Ishizu wiped at her eyes, finding them dry at last. Her cheeks still burning, the skin beneath her eyes painfully tender.

"Which begs the question, Miss Ishtar-why didn't you kill me? You had  _ample_ opportunity-foolish idiot that I was, I provided them to you in spades." He took a short, shallow breath, hoping to drive all creeping traces of anguish out of his voice.

"In fact-how do I know you won't kill me now? I told you that you were free to leave two days ago-are you  _still_  planning to kill me?"

Ishizu shook her head furiously, her lower lip wobbling as she lifted her hand to wipe at her still-dripping nose. "No-Seto-that's the  _point-_ what I told you this morning is the truth-what I'm telling you  _now_ is the truth-"

She planted her feet more firmly on the floor, feeling as raw and exposed as she'd ever felt under Seto's intense, unwavering gaze.

"I love you. That's the truth of it. The whole  _blasted, bloody_  truth of it. I-I can't bear to think of you being hurt now-by anyone-though I earnestly wished for it before. I don't want you to be hurt-or  _angry_  or  _bitter_  any more-I want to  _stay_  with you, Seto-I want to  _be_  with you-to make you  _happy_ -and for my own sake-that's why I didn't go home then-why I didn't go home today when my brothers-when the police..."

She trailed off, coughing roughly as her voice groaned into a murmur.

"And how exactly am I supposed to believe that, Miss Ishtar?"

The question hung in the air between them, sharp as a guillotine.

Seto turned around and scooted over to his side of the bed, climbing out and pulling his boxers up over his legs and hips. "Ah-well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?"

His overly casual demeanor made Ishizu almost double over in an acute bout of pain.

"After all, while I may have convinced myself that I was indeed in love with you, your confession makes it that much easier to let go of." He bent down and picked up his white undershirt, sliding the garment over his body, pulling it down. Covering himself. Concealing the way his heart threatened to bleed out from within.

_What is he saying-_

_-he's trying to bury it-_

_-to protect himself-_

Ishizu almost spoke-to contradict-to protest-then caught herself. Swallowing the contorted, near-weeping words neatly.

_If that's how he wishes to see it-_

_-who am I to deny him this?_

As Ishizu watched helplessly, biting her tongue, her hands folded in front of her, Seto pulled his trousers up his legs and buttoned them.

Bending over, he found her panties and dress by his feet. A lump formed in his throat, making his voice strangely pinched as he picked up the garments and turned, throwing them to her.

"Get dressed." His voice was authoritative. Cold. All traces of warmth evaporated like most.

The way she'd heard it the first time. In the Ishtar apartment. When he'd made his awful threat.

Started this dreadfully tangled mess that threatened to be both of their ruin.

Ishizu complied, reaching for the garments and dressing herself quickly. Roughly. Smoothing the shapeless dress over her hips.

"You will gather your things and leave. When you are ready, Roland will be waiting for you outside with the car to take you back to your home."

Ishizu's eyes widened, panic rising in her chest. Electrifying her veins with a burst of shock.

_Of course._

_What else could I have expected?_

She closed her eyes briefly, remembering with a bitter pang the warmth she'd once seen in his face. The softness. Honesty. Worry. Care. Etching themselves into her memory with a sharp chisel. Carved and recarving everything there each and every time she closed her eyes.

_"I love you, Ishizu Ishtar..."_

His admission, though hardly a surprise, had been like gentle music in her ears. A revelation for both of him. That he could love this way. That someone could love her like this. That  _he_ could love her like this.

"As you wish, Seto Kaiba."

_Two can play at this game. I won't beg for him to change his mind-_

Seto nodded curtly, his face a perfect mask, and walked over to the door, pulling it open and waiting for her to cross the threshold into the corridor.

Ishizu clenched her fists at her sides, taking it all in with one last sweep of her eyes. The elegance of the space. The simple furnishings. The bed where they'd managed to spend enough happy moments in this short span of time to make her nearly vomit upon thinking of them.

_This is the last time-_

_The last of all of this._

_The last of him._

Something like a sickness making her go completely numb she she walked slowly to where Seto was standing. His gaze directed outwards towards the hallway. Pointedly not looking at her. His gaze nigh-impossible to read. And all too easy at the same time.

_Seto-_

She held her features together in a neutral position, winding so tightly she thought she would fully unravel once out of his sight.

_I won't cry again._

_Not for this-_

He didn't speak as she walked past him, her bearing regal like that of a queen. Her face once again impassive and perfectly composed.

No shame from having spilled her guts in such a shameful way, it seemed…

It truly had all been an illusion of her making.

He would die before he let her see what her admission had  _done_  to him. The strange, nauseating heaviness of his chest. The disconnected lightness of his limbs, as if they were encased in pins and needles.

As soon as she was in the hallway, Seto followed her out, pulling the door closed behind him. Then he crossed in front of her, trying not to think of the way she'd adorably been lost the prior day, and began to lead her silently through the hallways of the Manor.

_I've grown stupid. Complacent. Foolish._

_To think that she could actually be in love with me-_

_-to think that she could return my wretched affections-_

_-it was all a lie._

Once Ishizu had gathered up her things-the duffel bag made things quite easy in that regard-Seto escorted her silently to the foyer of the Manor. The house largely quiet at this late hour. The yellow ceiling chandelier lights throwing everything into harsh, bright color. Sickeningly so.

_Thank god none of the main staff are wandering around-_

_-god forbid if I ran into Téa-_

Of course, Joseph or Tristan-whichever one of them had that night's shift-would see.

Seto's jaw tightened.  _He'll keep his mouth shut if he values his job._

Ishizu hoisted her bag over her other shoulder, rubbing the red marks left by the strap prior as Seto watched. Watched her every motion. Like she was a merely a scientific curiosity to him now. A thing to be observed and quantified.

She bit her lip as she caught him tearing his eyes away.

_It would do no good-_

_-no good at all-_

_-to tell him again-_

Seto opened the front door for her, his postured stiff and formal as she walked outside into the cool night air. The black limousine, Roland standing by solicitously, gleaming in the moonlight. Crickets chirping insistently in the neatly groomed shrubs as she walked over to the car, allowing Roland to take her bag and place it in the open trunk, closing it securely before he walked around to open Ishizu's door for her.

Ishizu didn't look back towards the house as she gracefully slid into the pitch-black recess of the backseat. Feeling disembodied. Not even able to see her own hands in this lack of lighting. As if she could scream and the sound would be lost. Snuffed out like a candle.

_This is what I wanted, right?_

_To be able to go home-_

Roland closed the door and walked around the front of the car to the front seat.

It was then that she allowed herself to weep again, the thick tears brimming and trickling down her face silently.

_No good at all-_

Seto watched her vanish before his eyes like some sick magic trick, trying to keep himself from crumbling, from wasting away from within as he closed and locked the door.

_It was all a lie-_

The screaming racking his body somehow coming out as the lightest of sighs, he turned on his heel and retreated into his castle, a solitary king once more, as the car pulled away.


	11. Green Rose

"Sister?" Marik opened the door, eyes wide with disbelief, a strange, cautious tone coloring his voice, as Ishizu shifted her duffel bag strap onto her shoulder, biting her lower lip and trying not to cry.

Trying with all the strength she could muster-to just focus on how happy she should be. Here. Now. Home at last.

Free to spend precious days with her brothers until she returned to London. Each moment anticipated a gem. Happy things.

What she'd wanted in the first place.

This.

-and it felt sour.

"Marik-" Ishizu began, her voice cracking on her brother's name as the blond man stood in the doorway, leaning on his arm, framed by painted wood, his body blocking her entry.

Perhaps intentionally.

_He must be surprised to see me here-like this-_

"Brother-" Ishizu tried again. Shifting uncomfortably under his lavender gaze, something prickling under the surface of her skin.

_Is there even any way to describe-_

Marik spoke once again, his tone slightly softer, laced with concern. "Ishizu-"

_Is everything all right-?_

_Not one day ago-I thought we'd figured this problem out-_

_-she wanted to be with him, and we accepted that-_

Ishizu pressed her lips together, scrabbling for a fragment of her poise. Control. Anything to hold onto while the ground still trembled under her feet. Ceaslessly.

"Seto and I-"

She froze. Stopped herself from continuing, mind beginning to race wildly and erratically.  _I surely can't tell him-what I would have done for him-for us-_

_-no doubt he'd cast me out as well-_

_-as he should-_

Marik gulped, pushing up his glasses with one hand as he reached out to grasp her shoulder comfortingly with the other. Something like cruel realization dawning upon him, his pulse beginning to quicken under the skin, his mouth tasting suddenly sour.

_That bastard-_

_-what did he do-?_

Ishizu nearly recoiled from her brother's touch, but submitted to it before he could notice the reaction, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment as she searched for words. Words that wouldn't sound false. That would convey this strangeness that lay around her-the disconnect between mind and body that had engulfed her ever since-

She bit back a soft sob, the raw emotion stabbing at her throat as she remembered how  _cold_ his eyes had turned. All warmth draining out of that beautiful face as she'd told him the truth. The awful vulnerability of it all.

_"I came with you-because I was going to kill you. Be-because you threatened my family-my brother-I was-"_

The way he'd regarded her then. Her standing before him, face drenched in tears, clutching at herself and shuddering with full-body cries as she'd prayed-fruitlessly-against the inevitable.

Like he didn't know her.

Like she was a stranger.

_"Well, I must thank you for being so forthright with me, Miss Ishtar. It feels like I'm talking to an entirely new woman."_

How she'd told him. Again and again.

Fruitless.

" _I love you. That's the truth of it. The whole blasted, bloody truth of it. I-I can't bear to think of you being hurt now-by anyone-"_

His face unresponsive as she'd wept, openly and nakedly, struggling to get the words out of a mouth crowded with tears.

" _I don't want you to be hurt-or angry or bitter any more-I want to stay with you, Seto-I want to be with you-to make you happy-and for my own sake-"_

His too-calm, frighteningly controlled reply.

_"And how exactly am I supposed to believe that, Miss Ishtar?"_

Ishizu blinked back hot tears, her nose turning red from the effort.

_It could only ever have been that way-_

_-there is no world where I deserved more than what I got._

Marik felt her shivering under his palm and, abandoning all misgivings, felt his heart crack open in his chest. Reached out to her again with both hands and pulled her into a tight embrace. His skin blessedly warm through his shirt, heating as well he could the coldness of Ishizu's skin. The dull ic clinging to every limb. Every finger and toe. Frostbitten. Scarcely feeling it at this point.

And still willing tears not to fall. Desperately.

She buried her face in her brother's shoulder, clutching at his shirt as she sniffed down another tiny cry. Pushed it down to where it would never be realized.

Then another. As they followed each prior one in merciless waves.

"What did that-that  _fucker_  do to you, Ishizu?" Marik wrapped his arms around her even tighter, trying to keep his voice calm for her sake. Trying and failing to hide the undercurrent of rage that threaded through his words.

Ishizu almost laughed, a dry, raking sound that sounded more like a sob.

 _What did_ Seto  _do to_ me _? What a question-_

"Marik-it-it's not what you think-he didn't do anything. Never. Never anything to hurt me. Not even when I-"

_-was his hostage._

"It-we just-"

She felt herself nearly gag on the lie as it burned its way up her throat. Spilled from her lips like a curse.

"-didn't work out, I-I suppose-"

_-that's one way of putting it-_

_May all the gods forgive me for misleading my brother in this way-_

Marik nodded slowly, carefully, and kissed her forehead softly as he patted her back soothingly. "I'm so sorry, Ishizu-I know you really cared for him-"

Ishizu released a silent sob on her next exhale as she felt her brother run his hand through her hair. Awkwardly and carefully, like she was a tiny China doll. Fragile. Porcelain. Chipped glass.

_I "cared for him"-_

_-what a useless, patronizing euphemism-_

_I loved him. That was it. The long and short of it. The breadth and depth of it._

_That's what it was-_

_-that's what it is._

Ishizu let go of her brother and tried to smile up at him. "Well, as you can see-I'm back now."

 _-at least until I really_ must  _get back to school-_

Her brother grinned down at her, idly fiddling with his glasses. "Ah-yes."  _And we're impossibly glad-_

Remembering himself, Marik quickly reached out and took the bag from her, Ishizu wincing as her shoulder finally began to sting from all the rubbing the strap had done, wearing the skin into a reddened, patchy welt beneath the fabric of her dress

As she crossed the threshold into the Ishtar apartment, Marik standing to the side and closing the door behind them, she reached up to the scrape and began to pick at it. Scratched at it, noting with little concern and little care that it barely hurt.

She scarcely noticed as the blood collected underneath her fingertips.

* * *

 

**_-one week later-_ **

"Mr. Kaiba, sir?"

Seto narrowed his eyes reflectively, a scowl tearing across his face as he looked up from his computer to find his secretary in his doorway. A Miss Vivian Wong, dressed as usual in some disgustingly pink-yet somehow work-appropriate-blouse and skirt, her dark hair done up in two rather unflattering buns. The silly girl swaying slightly, her eyes wide and searching as she regarded her employer.

"What do you want?"

Vivian swallowed hard, then checked her wristwatch once more. "Sir? It's nearly eight-I'm going home for the night. Shall I have Roland pull the car around for you?"

"Don't bother." His voice was curt and low. Settling the matter. Finality. He dropped his eyes back to the computer screen, his fingers having not stopped moving. Typing. Drowning. In his work. The mindless charts. Graphs. Diagrams and models. Facts and figures. Profits. Losses. Casualties. Everything he'd ever been concerned with-the numerical, the quantifiable. Things that could be calculated. Hacked about to fulfill his impeccable standards until they were perfect. Unimpeachable. Worthy of his attention. His name.

The girl cleared her throat gently, prompting Seto to snap his eyes to her, the blues hard and glittering with irritation. " _What_?"

A slight ring of concern in his secretary's voice. "Mr. Kaiba-if I might make an observation, sir...?"

Seto folded his hands under his chin and shifted his weight in his chair. Features unctuous. Upper lip curling. Gaze almost brutal in its coldness. "You may."

_This foolish woman-if she doesn't leave soon-if she doesn't dispense with whatever nonsense she's got in mind-I might have to fire her-_

Vivian scratched at her wrist nervously, her voice coming out quavery-with fear or with concern, Seto couldn't tell-as she replied, "well, sir-you haven't had me send for Roland to take you home in-well, for the past week, sir-and you've been having your dry-cleaning brought directly to the office-"

Seto leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. "What of it, Miss Wong?" His tone flat. Bordering on testy.  _Damn my observant secretary-_

_-no wonder she's gotten some ridiculous idea in that pathetic mind of hers-_

Vivian bit her lip nervously, then continued. "Um, Mr. Kaiba-well-if I might be so bold, sir-are-well-is there a problem at home, sir?"

Her hands beginning to shake. Folding them behind her back to hold them steady. Lowering her head to gaze at her feet. Supplicant.

Worried.

Despite his manifold faults as a human being, Seto Kaiba was nothing if not a magnanimous employer.

Seto gritted his teeth at her half-whispered query, willing himself not to lose his temper at her completely inappropriate question.  _None of her damned business-_

He adjusted his posture in his chair and began typing on his keyboard once more, the faint blue-white of the screen washing out his face, giving his pale features a wasted glow. Almost skeletal.

"You may go."

Settling the question.

Vivian bowed her head, releasing a tense, hiccupy breath. "Yes, sir." She turned on her heel and left, the hallway lighting up and darkening once more as she disappeared, turning off the soft ceiling lights as she left.

Complete silence. Each clatter of fingertips on keys echoing heartlessly throughout the high-ceilinged room.

Seto groaned quietly and swung his chair around to face his massive floor-to-ceiling windows, rubbing at his wrists, only then noticing the accumulated discomfort of hours of nonstop typing. He uncrossed and recrossed his legs once more, gazing out at the nighttime grid of Domino City laid out before him. All pristine and detailed. All of the tiny streetlamps. The ant-sized people walking along the sidewalks. Anyone and everyone, regardless of stature, regardless of position in society, rendered so before his eyes. So toy-like and yet untouchable.

He wanted to crush them all between his fingers. Leaving behind a trail of dust. Nothingness.

Releasing a sigh, biting the inside of his cheek almost to the point of pain, he swiveled the chair around to face his desk.

_I ought to call Téa and let her know the situation hasn't changed-_

He pulled his phone out of his trouser pocket and tapped on the screen idly, then pressed the sequence of numbers and lifted the device to his ear.

"Kaiba Manor, Miss Gardner speaking-"

"It's me." He began to slouch in his chair almost reproachfully as he heard Téa release a concerned-if slightly irritated-breath on the other end of the line.

"Sir-"

Seto cut her off, his voice growing slightly hoarse as he cradled the phone with his shoulder, beginning to pick at the skin around his fingernails. "I'm staying at the office tonight."

Téa pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger, finding it impossible to conceal the almost sisterly worry coloring her voice.

"Mr. Kaiba-really, you should think about coming home-it's not good for your health to be sleeping in that chair-"

At this, Seto laughed without humor. "What sleep are you referring to, Miss Gardner?"  _Not as if I ever slept much, anyhow-_

When he'd managed to collapse from exhaustion in the wee hours of morning, his chin propped up with his elbow, he'd wanted to scream himself back awake.

The dreams were really too much for him to fathom. Rendering him a shuddering mess each and every time, only inordinate pride preventing him from crying.

Mourning.

That strange feeling that something had died. Something indescribably  _important_  and  _rare._

A pause on the other end. "Mr. Kaiba-you certainly spent enough on that mattress that it's a waste if you don't sleep on it-"

"I'm  _not_  sleeping in my damned  _bed,_ Miss Gardner," Seto hissed, wincing as he pulled off a bit of skin around his thumb, revealing the raw and red shiny layer beneath.

_Not while it's still-_

_-tainted-_

_-tainted with_ her-

Téa released a sigh, pity crawling into her chest and nestling there. Tender and caring. Something she couldn't avoid.

_Ever since Miss Ishtar left-_

_-he hasn't been-_

Seto cleared his throat and spoke again, his voice coming out perfectly smooth and businesslike. Controlled. "Please see to it that my suits continue to arrive here for the time being."

Téa bit back a cry of frustration. "Mr. Kaiba-"

At her insistent, impossibly cloying manner, Seto found his voice coming out a growl. Ragged throughout, the previous illusion of power shattered. "Miss Gardner-do  _not_  press the matter any further if you value your position as my chief of staff, understand?"

_After all, Mokuba's gone back to school-and I can conduct all my affairs from here-_

_-and I can't go back there-_

Back to where  _she_  still haunted. His foyer. His kitchen. The myriad staircases. The sitting room with his art collection. The others, all perfectly appointed. The front yard with its imposing columns. The idyllic back lawn. The duck pond by the grove of trees.

His bedroom.

His bed.

Everywhere.

Taking up space in a most disgusting and sentimental way.

There and not there.

Téa swallowed hard. If not at the threat-for she knew Seto would never find anyone as good at the position as she-then at his tone. The clear  _pain_  bleeding into his words. Pain he refused to acknowledge as such. Exorcise it from his system. Still holding onto it all like a pearl in a child's fist-

"I understand, Mr. Kaiba. Please call me if you require anything further."

Seto hung up and dropped the phone onto his desk, his hands rippling with uncontrollable tremors as he placed them flat on his desk in an attempt to control himself. His body. From it all beginning again. The bile he felt churning in his stomach. The lack of feeling in his legs and arms, the pins and needles making him grunt with each micromovement.

His eyes scanning his office wildly before settling on that pedestal with the glass case.

The carved counterfeit comb lying on rich velvet. Mocking him.

_To think all of this trouble-_

_-because of this damned comb-_

He almost wanted to chuckle at the strangeness of it all. How innocuous a piece of ivory. That little snide remark from Hawkins and what it had led to.

How rage and fury had driven him to the Ishtar shop apartments. Led him to do what he had done. Past the point of understanding.

How easily and willingly he'd been misled by a pretty face and bewitching eyes. Each move of hers perfectly tailored to fit every possible scenario. Meek and obedient where he was bossy and brusque. Joyous and enchanted in the light of the cracks of kindness she'd somehow managed to draw from behind the waxy mask.

And when he'd been taken by surprise by the strength of his own desire-

-she'd matched it. Kiss for kiss. Touch for touch. Until there was nothing left to discuss.

Seto winced then, realizing his nails were now digging into his palms, nearly drawing blood from the soft flesh. The memory of her and everything that had transpired between them-from the first bizarre encounter after the dinner with Pegasus, when he'd stopped her drunken advances-to the drowsy way they'd enjoyed one another on his bed following his release from holding, when they'd both wanted it all, well and fully-

-and every jewel-like instant in between those two such disparate events-

-all more painful than the fists he'd unconsciously made right then. The crescent shapes he'd carved into his hands stung as he wiped the sweating skin on his pants.

He didn't dare think of her name.

Not with that ever-present lump in his throat that had been there ever since the limousine had pulled away.

Not what she'd given him.

Done for him.

Made him believe that he could be forgiven. For the things he had done. The people he had hurt. Destroyed.

Gozaburo.

Accepted him. With what seemed like impossible wholeheartedness, irrepressibly soft and  _loving-_

Seto forced himself to breathe, a cold sweat beginning to trickle down his spine.

-And the whole time, she'd wanted him dead. To end him. Every action of hers in service of this goal. Revenge in a ruthless manner he'd only recognized in himself. Surpassing his own capacities for bloodlust and raw hatred. Curdling in her more rancidly than he'd thought possible.

Each moment that had passed between them. Each smile. Each touch. Falsehoods. Orchestrations. All part of her magnificent design.

" _-be-because you threatened my family-my brother-"_

Unimpeachable.

* * *

 

_I have to tell them-_

_It's only fair that they damn me as well._

Ishizu wiped her sweaty palms on her nightgown, crossed her legs in her chair and looked to where Marik was sitting on the threadbare couch, legs tucked under him, pillow clutched to his chest, talking animatedly with Odion, who was meticulously drying off the chipped bowls they'd used for their dinner.

When Odion had brought out the ramen, its scent fragrant and mouthwatering, his eyes shining with pride at his victory over the fussy dish, Ishizu had nearly screamed then and there. At the table. In front of her brothers.

Felt her stomach turn as memory poured into the cracks of her mind. Stinging everywhere it touched.

She'd found it nigh-impossible to eat, causing her brothers to watch her with no small amount of concern.

As had so many before it, the lie had come easily. She was just tired. She'd been up late the prior night working on her research-fruitlessly, she'd added with an embarrassed smile. Couldn't find the stomach to eat something so  _rich_.

" _I believe I told you last night, Miss Ishtar, that I did not want to discuss matters related to my childhood. This is such a matter."_

And yet on the boat-

-as she lay all tangled up with him, breathing heavily from lust and intentions-

-he'd told her. All of it.

His truth. Again and again. Every delicate glass piece of himself. Without agenda. Without guile. Almost innocently, heart in this throat.

She should have known before he'd said it.

" _You're right."_

She suddenly  _felt_  the pressure of his forehead against hers. Hips and chests and a smug smile dotting her neck and ears. Her burning cheeks.

" _I love you_."

His eyes confident and sparkling when he'd spoken those words, punctuated with soft kisses. No risk in saying the words that came out so naturally from this strange, cold man.

She'd laid her hand bare first. Quite unlike her to do such a thing.

_No more._

Ishizu swallowed hard as Odion put the bowls away and joined their brother on the couch, using his large frame to bump Marik out of the way, a rumbling chuckle issuing from his chest despite Marik's protestations.

As Marik scrambled to put his glasses back on, for in the slight commotion they'd fallen to the floor, Odion turned his dark gaze over to Ishizu. "Sister?"

"Y-yes?" She was speaking too loudly. It nearly screeched from her, startling both of her brothers.

"You seem rather quiet today. Are you feeling all right?"

_No. I don't see how I could-_

"I-I-well-" she twisted the nightgown in her hands as Marik looked at her then, eyes wide with worry.

_That bastard Seto Kaiba-_

_-I knew he'd done something horrible-_

"I have something to tell you." Placid. Calm. Like the words she was about to speak meant nothing.

_No-_

They meant  _everything._ What she'd planned-

-what she'd in all hopes intended to do to Seto Kaiba-

-the one promise she'd made to herself, keeping her sane as she'd sat alone in that vast bedchamber, the fury clouding within her like a disease.

" _I will kill you, Seto Kaiba."_

Despite her best efforts, she felt salty tears brimming at the corners of her eyes as her brothers looked on, aghast. Looking at one another in slight desperation as she wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands, a sniffle escaping her.

"Marik."

Her brother's violet eyes grew even larger at the sound of his name, all thick with emotion. "Yes, sister?"

"Did you ever wonder why I offered to go with Seto Kaiba in your place?"

Silence filled the room for the briefest of moments as Marik considered.

He shifted position on the couch, discomfort creeping onto his face.  _I never should have let her-_

_-it was selfish of me not to step up-_

_-to protect my big sister-_

_-to do the protecting for a change-_

"I mean-you and I agreed then, didn't we-? The business wouldn't have stood a chance with me gone, since you and Odion don't have the same information I have-didn't study with Father like I did-"

 _And yet you still made a mistake_ , Ishizu wanted to snap at him. Cruelly. That temper. The bristling anger beneath the surface. That side of her she truly needed to suppress.

The part of her that had caused her-and Seto-needless amounts of pain.

Marik trailed off at the look on her face. Self-loathing mingled with now-trailing tears along her cheeks.

"That was part of it." Ishizu uncrossed and recrossed her legs-noting with a pang that the move was precisely the one  _Seto_  made in uncomfortable, delicate moments-

"Part of it?" Odion repeated, voice quiet. Curiosity flickering beneath the surface. And something else. Suspicion.

Ishizu closed her eyes for a moment, gripping the cloth of her nightgown even tighter.

_Goodbye, brothers._

_It was all for your sake, Marik-_

_-for our promise-_

Her tiny brothers. A toddler and an infant suddenly standing before her.

" _I'll protect you now. Okay?"_

" _I won't let anything hurt you again. I promise."_

_A promise made in my youth-_

_-_ taken too far. Over a limit of rationality. Humanity.

And she deserved every ounce of pain that came with such a violation.

_Goodbye, my brothers._

She opened her eyes and waited for her vision to clear.

"I went with him because I was going to kill him."

Another pregnant moment of silence as her brothers exchanged glances, Odion's face turning stony as Marik's forehead crinkled in confusion.

Ishizu looked down at her lap, clenching her fists tightly enough that her knuckles ached.

"I went with Seto Kaiba because I promised you, Marik."

At the sound of his name, Marik slowly turned to face her once again, his features gone pale with horror. As if the woman sitting before him was not his sister who had cared for him all his life. Helped him grow up.

_No-_

_-Ishizu-_

" _Sister-_ "

Ishizu cut him off, a low, sad laugh coloring her voice. "I promised the both of you that I would always protect you from harm. I would never let anything hurt you." She swallowed hard

"And Seto Kaiba had threatened you-us-our family- _our livelihood_."

_I had to do it-_

_-for us-_

_-because no one should be able to threaten you-or us-_

Odion's face was completely blank as he finally spoke, his voice sounding impossibly distant. "Sister, you're speaking utter nonsense. You should go to bed now." Definitive. Not accepting dissent.

Ishizu gritted her teeth, a fresh wave of tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. "No, Odion-I'm not-I am telling you both the  _truth-_ the whole blasted thing. I was going to get close to him. Gain his trust bit by bit each day I was forced to live in that damned house of his. Using any method I thought I could-"

At this, Marik looked sick.  _She can't possibly mean-_

"I was going to do it. I  _was._ " She lifted a shaking hand to wipe her eyes, agony twisting through her completely and utterly. In disorienting pulses, each more lingering than the last. Until her entire body was screaming, the hairs on the back of her neck standing stick-straight.

_Sister-_

Marik immediately rose to his feet, tossing the pillow aside and walked over to comfort her, to wrap his arms around her shoulders and dispel this strange manifestation her grief had taken. As bizarre as this was-

"Don't touch her, Marik."

The curtness of Odion's voice rippled down Ishizu's spine like icy fingertips.

Halfway between his siblings, Marik froze, his face going meek. Bare feet sticking to the scratched wood floor.

"Why didn't you?"

Ishizu broke out into a chilled sweat, a knot tangling in the pit of her stomach as she regarded Odion, dry-mouthed and quiet.

_Brother-_

_-once again, you don't understand my reasons-_

_-although this time I can understand why-_

"Because you thought you were in love with him?" Odion's voice, so low and soft, was laced through with a bitter, contemptuous edge.

_My foolish sister and her ideas of love-_

Ishizu bit back a cry of frustration, her body going tense as his words took hold. "Odion-don't you  _dare_ -"

_Just because you didn't want to accept it-_

_-it doesn't mean it wasn't something-_

Odion interrupted her, rising from his place on the couch, hands flying to his hips, shoulders trembling with barely-suppressed rage as he approached her. "Sister,  _you_  are the one who is _completely_  out of bounds-first, your strange behavior towards me during the phone call, which got us even  _more_  worried about you-then you come back here and tell us you're  _in love_ with the bastard and  _aren't_  coming home, despite the fact that we  _need_  you here-then you  _defend_  him and somehow convince Marik to drop the charges, even though, for all intents and purposes,  _he kidnapped you-_ and now you tell us you were going to  _kill_ him, and expect me to be  _all right_  with this? Sister-"

"Oh, like you weren't  _perfectly happy_  to hold me to the yoke of the promise I made when I was  _seven_ , Odion-until, of course, you turn it around when it's convenient for you-and decide to  _condemn_  me for planning to uphold that very same promise-" Ishizu leapt to her feet, folding her hands in front of her in an attempt to keep herself from lunging at Odion; Marik, standing between them, looking increasingly frightened and worried as he held up his hands in a placating gesture. Unfamiliar with playing peacekeeper between his usually stoic elder siblings, he nearly wilted under the intensity of their gazes towards one another.

Odion broke the eye contact first, letting out a scoff as his face settled into granite once more. Shrugging his shoulders, he threw back one last baleful glance at her as he slid past Marik, walking down the hallway to his bedroom and closing the door behind him.

Ishizu couldn't prevent the thick tears that began to race down her cheeks then, the nauseating hiccupping of her breath as she collapsed to the floor, her shins hitting the wood loudly as she buried her face in her hands, furiously suppressing the bone-rattling scream that threatened to escape her.

Marik bent down beside her, his hand tentatively reaching out to pat her back. Unused to inhabiting such a role. As she had done for him so many times. Wiped away his tears. Attempted to soothe.

He couldn't make himself touch her, his arm erupting into gooseflesh as he hovered. Something tearing and seeping into his stomach as he regarded her bereft form.

_My sister-_

_-was going to kill a man-_

_-for us-_

Her dark hair, plaited over her shoulder. Her hunched, inconsolable form. All foreign to him in that moment.

"He's right-" Ishizu wiped her nose on the sleeve of her nightgown, feeling a shudder trail through her. A heaviness soak into her chest.

_He is-_

"Ishizu-sister-"

_I'm the one who is a monster-despicable, utterly so-_

"It's all right, Marik-" Acutely she felt his hand wavering by her back. His hesitation to touch her. The clear fear lurking in those lavender eyes that made her throat grow tighter.

Her shoulders sagging as she understood.

_It's nothing more than what I deserve._

"You must have really loved him. Seto Kaiba, I mean."

Marik's voice wasn't angry or condemning. Just observational. Detached. His hand still unwilling to touch her. As if she were repelling him. Something floating about her. Encasing her.

Ishizu sniffed faintly, peeking at her brother from between fingers, sliding them down her face to reveal the swollen lids and impossibly wet blue-green irises. The red crackling lines staining the whites of her eyes.

The use of the past tense, however innocuously done, registering as a pang.

"What makes you say that?"

Marik allowed himself a tiny, crooked smile as he looked at her. "Well, for one, he got you to change your mind about killing him-Sister, when you set out to do something, most times it takes hell and heaven and then some to get you to decide against it-"

Despite herself, Ishizu let out a dry, cracked laugh at his words.  _My brother does indeed know me._

"What else makes you think so, Brother?" Allowing a drop of curiosity to spread into her voice. Something.

_What else could he have perceived?_

Marik's eyes turned serious once more as he very gingerly moved his hand to her upper back with a slight intake of breath. Patted at her shoulder blades through the fabric of her nightgown. Color finally returning to his cheeks as he spoke.

"Because if you didn't, you wouldn't be so sad right now."

* * *

 

**- _one week later-_**

The room swirled about him like the contents of a glass. Flashes of color. Fabric. Texture. Flesh. Blinkings of light. Finery. Conversations. Deals being struck. Vast sums promised. Changing hands.

Tastemakers. The cream of the crop. Domino's wealthiest and finest all flitting about the dim lounge. Promises. Curves of lips in sultry smiles. Hands gliding to lower backs. Whispers in darkened corners. Changing futures.

And he couldn't bring himself to care.

The vultures dovetailing him on the way into the club. Swarming upon him. Swooping, the flashes of cameras blinking behind his eyes and the din of useless, stupid questions ringing in his ears.

"Mr. Kaiba-" "Mr. Kaiba-where's the mysterious lady?" "Seto Kaiba-" "Mr. Kaiba, is it true you were recently arrested? Do you have a comment?-" "Seto Kaiba-" "Where's your girlfriend, Mr. Kaiba-"

_Where indeed._

His lip had curled, his shoulders hunching slightly as he'd pushed through the flock, narrowly avoided being swallowed whole as he pushed open the heavy doors into the dimly-lit interior of the club. Allowing the pulsing bassline of the music flooding the room to wash over him. Numb him from the inside.

_I suppose she's gone back to London…_

He detachedly watched the ice in his glass of scotch jostle and clink as a figure emerged from the shadows to settle in the seat beside him.

"Ah, Kaiba.  _My dear boy_ …"

_Hawkins._

_The last person I want to see in the world right now-_

The mustachioed man's eyes were cold and arch as Seto turned towards him, his lips approximating something like a smile as he crossed his legs. "Good to see you,  _old friend_."

_Get the fuck away from me._

Hawkins raised his own tumbler of amber liquid perfunctorily in a show of cheers as Seto did the same, then lifted his glass to his mouth. Sip. Swallow. Smile. Like a human. Play the part.

Hawkins held his glass in both hands, his gaze turning calculating as a false grin prickled the ends of his moustache. "You've been quite the tabloid fixtures recently,  _old chum_ … some bad habits you wanted to get behind you, perhaps? The errant acts of youth, no doubt…"

Seto gritted his teeth behind a toothy smile.  _The damned Domino Herald and its fixation with my goings-on._  "I'm sure I don't know what you mean,  _pal_."

His older colleague leaned forward in his seat knowingly. "Why, of you and that  _delightful_  Ishtar girl-and your recent arrest. Very  _naughty_ , Seto,  _my boy_ …"

Seto bit his tongue, an icy sweat clotting under his bangs as he stiffened in his seat slightly. His hands shaking around his glass, just visibly enough to garner Hawkins' eagle-eyed notice.  _How the hell does he know about Ishizu…_

"You're not the only one capable of doing research into the Ishtar family, Seto…" Hawkins tutted, waving a finger at the younger man faux-scoldingly. "Quite interesting that you lovebirds' little tryst began around the same time that the Ishtar boy misidentified that silly fake comb, hmm?"

Seto adjusted in his chair, recrossing his legs and grinning frostily at Hawkins, willing his breathing to settle down. To return to normal. Deep breaths. Shallow inhales and exhales, all centered in his chest.  _He doesn't know. There's no way he knows about what happened-_

_-about the hostage agreement-_

Hawkins took another sip, the sour-sweet liquid giving his words a silkily sinister coating as he spoke. "Seto,  _my dear young friend_ -"

_He doesn't know-_

- _he can't possibly-_

"-you  _really_  should have learned, your relatively youthful age notwithstanding, not to let pretty girls-as lovely and succulent as they may well be-get the better end of you in a business deal." Hawkins leaned back and finished his glass, unable to keep the smugness out of his tone.

"After all, the piece was  _clearly_  a fake-you must have been…  _distracted_ by your little fling with the boy's sister-"

_Wait-_

_Bravado. Bluff._

Seto forced himself to smirk at the older man, lacing his voice full of implications. "I don't know that I  _did_  get the worse end of that deal, Hawkins, dear friend-after all, as you say, she _was_  just  _remarkable_ -" His mouth tasted sour as images-damned memories-of Ishizu floated before his eyes each time he blinked.

Speaking of her in this way-

-it felt  _wrong._

Wrong but  _necessary_ -

She was remarkable.

Utterly.

Dangerously so.

Seto allowed himself to take in a deep, shuddering breath of relief as Hawkins looked at him, triumph flickering in those ancient-looking eyes.

_He thinks he knows._

_He doesn't-_

"Hmm." Hawkins' voice was falsely thoughtful. "I'm sorry you two are no longer involved, then-if she was as enchanting as you say."

_He doesn't know._

_Thank god._

"Now,  _my lad_ , the story of your arrest-now,  _that's_  something these old ears wouldn't mind hearing…"

Seto leered at Hawkins fully, rising from his chair as the other man followed suit. "I do think that'll have to wait for another time,  _old fellow_ -I do think I see our mutual friend Pegasus looking for me…"

They both knew it was a lie as they shook hands. Gliding around another keenly likes pieces on a board. Their swords sheathed.

_He may have won the battle-_

_-but he thinks he's won the war._

As Seto walked away, striding confidently towards the bar for a refill of his drink, he finally allowed the mask to slide off. Melt briefly for a moment under the flickering black shadows. Only to himself as he passed through the darkness.

This victory was hollow.

* * *

 

**_-one week later-_ **

Ishizu hugged Marik one last time, burying her face in his shoulder as the harsh crackle of the loudspeaker rang overhead:

"All passengers to Heathrow, please commence boarding…"

Her duffel bag felt impossibly heavy, crammed as it was with her various books and research materials. The itchy strap dug into her shoulder as she broke the embrace, then stepped back, looking up at Odion with slightly wary eyes.

_Ever since the other night-_

_-he's been cold._

Ishizu bit the inside of her cheek as her brother's face remained stony, his jawline set hard. Dark eyes boring into hers, as if he were searching. Through her.

Still.

For a sign of the Ishizu who had made him that promise so long ago.

Who hadn't, in the heat of that promise, planned to murder a man in cold blood.

Somewhere.

_Promises don't have to remain the same._

_They don't have to fossilize._

_They can grow and change shape-as the one who made the promise ultimately must-_

She caught Marik looking back and forth between them with increasing degrees of nervousness. Glasses sliding down his nose as his eyes grew wider and wider at this strange impasse between his older siblings.

She felt something like a hot tear burning in the inner corner of her eye as she nodded at her brothers, then shifted her duffel bag on her shoulder as she turned to go.

"Sister."

_Odion-_

A hand, thick and callused, took hold of her wrist. And then she was enveloped in warmth. Just for a moment. Thick, muscular arms wrapping around her, pulling her in tightly.

His voice was unsteady. Almost like a rumble from deep within his chest.

"We love you very much, Sister."

_After all you have done for us-_

_-and will continue to do-_

Ishizu let out a breath she didn't notice she'd been holding, a lightness flooding through her veins as Odion let her go, smiled gently, and gestured towards the boarding line.

"Until next time, Sister."

* * *

 

"Miss Gardner-" Seto managed to choke out, phone to his ear, his voice coming out strangled and low. Feet planted hard on the floor of the sitting room, eyes glued to the sight before him. Impossible to look away. The images burning themselves into his retinas.

His heart growing sharp and heavy in his chest.

The  _lack._

His free hand clenched into a fist which he shoved, trembling, into his pocket as Téa replied, the words stumbling off her tongue, worry threading into her voice. "Mr. Kaiba-what's wrong? Where in the house are you, sir?"

Seto swallowed hard, something sickening and violent racking through him as he managed to sputter out, hearing Téa's voice grow ragged as she began to move quickly throughout the endless corridors of Kaiba Manor.

_How the hell did I get here anyway-?_

Like his feet had brought him here unawares. Without warning.

"You-you need to get Wheeler and Taylor in here- _get them in here now_."

_Get them in here to remove all this-_

He heard his chief of housekeeping's light footsteps approaching the room from behind, then falling to a limping slow walk as she leaned against the doorway.

Catching her breath as she understood, hanging up the phone and putting it back in her pocket.

_This is-_

_-the art collection we brought out for Miss Ishtar-_

The magnificent array of paintings and sculptures laughing at him. Looming large and disgustingly tender. Each hung and arranged carefully to complement one another. To provide a more thrilling visual experience for-

"I'll have them get to it right away." Téa withdrew her phone from her pocket and pressed a sequence of buttons quickly. Eyeing her employer carefully, with no small modicum of concern as the usually composed and businesslike man stood as if he would crumple into a faint. Stiffly. Thinly. Delicately.

_Ishizu._

Her strange presence like a hit to the gut. Her  _everything_ still lingering. Wafting. Teasing. Peeking from behind the Calder. Standing before the Rothko. Observing. Taking it all in. Appreciating. That joyous expression lighting up her exquisite features, making his heart stutter wildly. Uncannily.

_The Rodin-_

-the lovers in their inseparable embrace-

The phone fell from his hand onto the floor before he could stop it. He winced as he bent over to pick it up, cursing his sudden loss of grace.

He smoothed out the front of his suit jacket, turned on his heel and walked past her, head lowered, voice thick and weakening. "Have them do it  _now._ "

_Not up for discussion._

Téa nodded at him, her eyes wide. "O-of course, sir-"

She was sure he couldn't hear her as he strode away, shoulders up by his ears. Once he had turned a corner and was out of his, his arms instinctively wrapped around his middle. Pressing his back to the wall and sliding down to the floor, knees bent at a sharp, uncomfortable angle.

Frozen. Freezing. Eyesight blurred and wet.

Dipping his head inward. Almost curled up completely. Hands at the back of his neck as his body shook of its own accord.

As if to protect himself from the still-remaining blows. The ones whittled away at him daily and nightly.

And would continue to do so in their merciless way.

* * *

 

Ishizu flicked on the light switch to her London flat and blinked a few times as the fluorescent ceiling lights came to life, their seeming hesitance to struggle to wakefulness reflected in her own heavy, listless yawn as she allowed her duffel bag to slide off of her shoulder.

 _Home_. Such that it was.

London real estate was certainly not cheap; she'd managed to let her flat from a Courtauld professor who had been on sabbatical that year. A studio. Barely three hundred square feet. Enough room for the kitchenette, the coffee table, the couch, and the bed. A minuscule bathroom tucked around a corner of the place.

A rather large window against the back wall with a rather nice view of a small park-neatly trimmed lawn, now all gone springy, Ishizu supposed, with dandelions and wildflowers.

Slipping off her sandals, she walked a few feet, past the nook-like kitchenette, and collapsed onto the narrow twin bed pressed against the back wall, finally allowing that deep-seated groan rising up from deep within her chest to be given voice.

The mattress was so thin. A spring from the bedframe threatened to dig into her stomach.

Something she hadn't noticed last time she'd slept there-

Errantly she thought of Seto's mattress. How plush it had been. Firm. A mattress for a king. Heavenly. How comfortable.

How comfortable she'd found herself there. Perfectly natural and easy. Like breathing. His breaths. Hers. Limbs brushing against limbs. Wrapped up in his arms-

Bile tore at her throat as she shifted on the bed, coming to lie in a fetal position, heart stuttering in her chest.

_Don't think about this._

_Compartmentalize._

She'd always been so good at that sort of thing. The spring term was due to start in a few days anyway; plenty of work and researching and pure logic to turn to. Her thesis and presentation. Distractions. Useful. Something to take her mind off of this.  _Him._

_Although it wouldn't really do to think of my work as a distraction from this-_

_-this strange love affair-_

Just thinking the word hurt.

Sitting up and pulling the blankets at the end of the bed over herself, she shivered at their thinness and rolled to face the window, pressing her fingers against the smudged glass. The last vestiges of sunlight fading her view of the park.

If she squinted, she could barely make out the form of a small child chasing a dog around the perimeter.

_Someday, this will all be just a bizarre fond memory-_

_-someday-_

Even in her head she knew it was a lie.

* * *

 

**_-three months later-_ **

With a trembling hand, Vivian picked up her desk phone, the innocent-seeming envelope burning a hole in her desk.

Casting a wary glance towards her employer's office, she bit her lip nervously as she dialed and placed the device to her ear, praying under her breath that her call would be picked up-

"Kaiba Manor, Miss Gardner speaking-"

Vivian let out a tiny breath of relief. "Oh, thank  _goodness_  you picked up, Miss Gardner-"

On the other end of the line, Téa responded, a mite of concern in her voice. "Miss Wong-is everything all  _right_  at the office-is Mr. Kaiba-"

_Is he doing any better-_

_-any better at all?_

Vivian sighed sadly, catching the other woman's meaning implicitly.

_Mr. Kaiba-_

- _at least he's now sleeping at home. I suppose that's a plus-_

_-though it's not as if his mood has improved any these past few months-_

Her usually cold and implacable employer had developed something like a rough, almost panicked edge to his voice whenever he spoke. His calm and businesslike manner stripped away. All of a sudden his irritability with  _everything_  managing to rise to the surface, unable to be suppressed. Showing on his face. In his eyes. His tense and snappish body language.

It was beginning to be noticeable. Not only to KaibaCorp employees-

-but to business partners and potential investors as well, prompting a round of rumors about KaibaCorp's general health in the erstwhile  _Domino Herald_ 's front pages. Which in turn caused the slightest of ticks downward of KaibaCorp stock, which in turn caused Seto Kaiba to be even more nakedly sour on a daily basis.

Vivian could only imagine how his home employees were being treated-

"He's pretty much the same, unfortunately, Miss Gardner-but-but that's not why I'm calling-um-well-the thing is-"

Téa waited for the secretary to finish babbling in circles, keeping her voice patient and sweet for the poor flustered girl's sake. "Yes, Miss Wong?"

Vivian cast another furtive glance towards Seto's office before picking up the envelope in her free hand, taking in the neat printed handwriting. "Well-I got a letter at the office, Miss Gardner-and, while I can't verify that it isn't some sort of sick joke-well-"

Téa's breath caught on itself, her hand floating to her cheek in shock.  _Could it be-_

"It-it's from  _her._ " Vivian threw another look in the direction of Seto's office, praying to everything she could manage that he wouldn't choose  _this_  moment, of all moments, to leave his office and come to her desk-

_Ishizu Ishtar-_

Téa hadn't heard that name in months. Hadn't dared to speak it, even in confidence with Yugi or Serenity or one of the other household staff members. The name that held so much within it. What it entailed meaning so much to Seto Kaiba in a way that little else could have.

_That woman-_

Despite the unorthodox nature of their meeting-

-the strange way a connection had seemed to blossom between them, effortlessly as taking in a breath of fresh air-

-and the way her employer  _clearly_  had had some sort of unfamiliar tender feelings towards her-that much had been plainly evident-

-despite the darkening gray morality of it all-

" _And to think, Mr. Kaiba-when Miss Ishtar asked me about you-I defended you-your character-and here you are, taking advantage of the poor girl-using her for god knows what-"_

-she'd been  _good_  for him. While she'd been at the house, he'd-

-somehow-

" _I've only been sleeping in her bed-well-"_

" _-because she asked me to."_

- _softened._

If only for moments few and far between.

Errantly she thought of what she'd told Ishizu the day they'd spent time together. Walking about the house, Ishizu's being there still a thorn in the younger woman's side. When Ishizu had still clearly  _loathed_  her captor and every aspect of her situation-

" _He's an incredibly difficult man. Judgmental. Proud. Arrogant. Unsatisfied. Angry. But-I promise you-he's not all awful-I know it's difficult for you to believe me. But I can't help thinking-from what I know of you, that is-perhaps, had you two met under different circumstances…"_

How Ishizu had brushed off Téa's now-accurate prediction with a heartbreakingly disappointed look. A respond with coldness equaling that of Téa's employer at his frostiest.

" _I don't believe you."_

"Miss Gardner?" Vivian's anxious voice broke through the haze of reverie. "Are you there, Miss Gardner?"

Téa swallowed and cleared her throat. "Yes, I am, Miss Wong-sorry, I was just-"

_Lost in thought, I suppose-_

_-now, what to do with this mysterious envelope?_

"Well-I mean-I can't possibly  _give_  it to him right now,  _can_  I, Miss Gardner?" Vivian's voice shook as she considered something that  _really_  seemed very high above her pay grade-

"Ah-yes, you're right, Miss Wong… he'd chew you to bits if you were the one to bring him the this envelope-"

_I have to be the one to give it to him-_

"W-what do I  _do,_  Miss Gardner?" Vivian practically wept, straining to keep her voice at a low whisper, fairly certain that her employer would somehow appear before her, failing to control his rage at her not only taking a break from her duties, but also  _keeping_  something of this level of personal importance from him-in addition to her poor luck of being the one to have received it in the first place-

Téa chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment, picking at loose thread on her sleeve idly.

_I suppose I could-_

"Miss Wong, it's rather lucky that you called me when you did-the staff hasn't taken their lunch break yet, and I should be able to get away from the house for about thirty minutes. Is it possible you could meet me somewhere-take your lunch outside in the courtyard behind KaibaCorp today?"

Vivian nodded thoughtfully. "I-I think I could, but we'll have to be careful that Mr. Kaiba doesn't see you-or that Roland doesn't tell on you-"

Téa laughed then, quietly and under her breath. "Don't you worry your head, Miss Wong-I promise I'll be able to meet you in the KaibaCorp courtyard-shall we say, at noon today?"

Vivian's voice sounded miserable on the other end of the line. "Better make it one o'clock-Mr. Kaiba has me transcribing his notes from the German clients and I don't understand  _half_ of what he's written…"

"One o'clock then."

"Thank you  _so_  much, Miss Gardner-you're positively a  _lifesaver_ -"

Téa lifted the phone away from her ear and ended the call, then, a slight flush rising to her cheeks as she dialed another number.  _This damned large house-_

"T-Téa?" came the voice on the other end of the line, high-pitched with surprise. The sound of her name imbued with a smile of pleasure.

Téa fought the urge to giggle uncontrollably. "Hello, Yugi-where are you right now?"

Yugi cradled the phone with his shoulder and gently lifted the embroidery off of his lap and onto his sewing table. "In the studio-did you need me for something?"

"Don't go anywhere, Yugi-I'll be right over." Téa turned on her heel and left the room then, making her breathless way along the hallways and corridors of Kaiba Manor, down several flights of stairs until she arrived at the door of Yugi's sewing studio.

Self-consciously, she smoothed out the front of her striped dress and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before knocking; after merely one rap of her knuckles the door opened, with Yugi staring up at her with pinkened cheeks.

_Could it be that he'd been waiting by the door?_

Téa didn't dare dwell on it, bowing her head in greeting as Yugi stepped aside to allow her into the low-ceilinged, brightly-lit studio, with its sewing machine in the corner and its large plastic-topped table in the center, the space in front of the walls punctuated with dressmakers' forms-mostly cream in color, with broad shoulders and a very narrow waist.  _That must be Mr. Kaiba's…_

"Ah-it's been so long since I've been down here…" The familiar smell of dusty fabrics wafting through her nostrils…

"Ah-yes-" Yugi stammered as Téa sat down on one of the stools by the table, crossing her legs, causing her dress to hike up slightly around her legs.

_Perhaps now is not the time to be caught looking-_

Yugi cleared his throat. "I-is there something you needed, Téa?"

At his own question, he felt his palms grow damp as Téa turned those blazingly serious eyes upon him. Then, to his delight, her pink lips turned up into a beguiling little grin.

"Mind giving me a ride to KaibaCorp around twelve-thirty? I have to meet Vivian Wong in the rear courtyard during her lunch break." Téa drummed her fingers on her exposed knee restlessly, her eyes sweeping along Yugi's form in what she  _hoped_  was a subtle way.

_A ride-on the bike-?_

Yugi coughed, wiping his hands on the rear of his black leather pants before walking towards her, her luminescent energy drawing him helplessly closer; he could have  _sworn_  he saw Téa's cheeks bloom crimson as he paused right before her, leaning on one elbow on the table, looking up at her with wide violet eyes.

"M-might I ask why, Téa?" Yugi asked, licking his lips unconsciously as he lifted himself to a seated position on the sewing table, then turned to look down at her.

Téa's eyes darkened for a moment, her cheeks paling suddenly.  _Oh dear-_

_-I mean, if I can't tell Yugi-_

_-whom_ can  _I tell? He was rather fond of her, if I recall correctly-_

Téa interlaced her fingers and rested them on the table, her elbow by Yugi's hips, her voice coming out in a half-whisper as her brows knitted together.

Yugi blanched at the sudden change in her demeanor.  _I hope everything's all right-_

Téa bit her lip. "Well-you see-this morning, Vivian Wong received a letter addressed to Mr. Kaiba. From-"

 _From_ her-

_From Ishizu Ishtar._

Yugi nearly bit his tongue in half as he understood Téa's meaning, clenching his fingers into fists by his sides.

_I-Ishizu?_

_That-that woman-_

That woman, with her blue-green eyes that had only recently begun to shine with life in Seto Kaiba's presence-

-their utterly  _strange_  yet fitting connection they'd managed to make, despite the gravity of her situation-despite Yugi's and Téa's own fears about their employer's bizarrely overt behavior towards his impossibly confusing hostage-

-that one day when all of the staff had been gossiping, their voices flustered and engaged, about how there were now  _two_  croissants and  _two_  cups of coffee on Seto Kaiba's breakfast tray-

It hadn't taken a genius of Seto Kaiba's level to understand what had happened.

 _Something_ did  _happen._   _Ishizu wasn't lying to me…_

" _If what happened last night, Ishizu, is to be believed-I daresay I can no longer in good conscience call Mr. Kaiba a good man."_

" _Please-I know you won't believe me, but-I initiated all of that. All of those things. Not Seto-he wouldn't have dreamt of doing something like that. I'm the one who invited him into my bed-I'm the one who-well-"_

They'd all seen it. Been called down to the security room by Joseph, who'd had the acute misfortune of seeing his employer and Ishizu Ishtar making intensely amorous advances towards one another. Her reaching out. Climbing atop his lap. Pulling him in close.

_That kiss-_

Their mouths saturated in full with a bitter taste.

" _Ishizu… but why?"_

" _Because I- because I wanted to, Yugi."_

Her admission had  _certainly_  been a surprise-

Yugi swallowed hard, remembering the rough, pained nature of his employer's voice when he'd asked his tailor to  _please, for the love of god, take the clothes out of that dresser-_

That sad broken sound. So foreign. Unlike him.

" _What should I do with the dresses and other garments, sir?"_

Seto Kaiba hadn't minced words then, his reply spit from his lips like a curse.

" _Burn them."_

_Ever since she left-_

_-with no indication as to_ why _-_

_Mr. Kaiba's-_

A memory of his employer rather uncharacteristically snapping at him for a too-loose button on one of his suit jackets barely a week ago slivered to the front of his mind, registering with a pang.

Téa closed her eyes briefly and nodded sadly, her cheeks flushing, her words coming out dry and cracked. "E-exactly, Yugi-I told Vivian I would take the letter off her hands-the poor girl's too afraid to be the one to give it to him-but-"

_But either way-_

_-the one who makes him think of her-_

_-they're surely going to suffer his wrath as well._

Yugi's eyes widened with fright as he reached out and gently squeezed Téa's forearm, finding it rather impossible to care in that moment about the fragility-the intimacy-of such a gesture.

"Téa-"

_You could be sacked._

_Who knows what Mr. Kaiba would do in response to you giving him a letter from her-_

A tiny tear bubbled out of the corner of her eye as she gritted her teeth; Yugi felt her body tense up and began to remove his hand, only to stop when Téa gasped out around a shaking sob, "no-Yugi-you can leave it there."

Feeling his heart lift despite the circumstances, Yugi lowered his hand back onto Téa's exposed forearm and squeezed soothingly once again, fighting the urge to run his other fingers through that dark, soft-looking hair in some inappropriately sentimental gesture.

"I just-I don't know what to  _do_  with this-I don't know what she could possibly  _want_ -"

_Why would she send him a letter-_

_-after just leaving like that?_

It was hard enough keeping Mokuba out of the loop-Seto Kaiba's younger brother was much more perceptive than anyone gave him credit for, and it was only the threat of some vague form of punishment, bestowed from the performatively cruel hands of Téa Gardner, that was preventing Mokuba from leaving school in the middle of the term to come stay with his elder brother.

" _Miss Gardner-Téa-I haven't been able to get Seto on the phone for weeks now. Is-is everything okay?"_

Téa had pressed her lips together hard, something unpleasant dancing in her stomach, wondering whether it was better to lie.

" _I-it's nothing, Mokuba. He's just extraordinarily busy-the German clients have been extremely demanding with the new designs. That's all…"_

She remembered approaching her employer on what must have been the morning after Ishizu Ishtar had quit the Manor. The dark circles under his eyes. The puffiness of them. Redness. Like he'd been crying.

She hadn't dared to dwell on it, asking in all good faith,  _"Mr. Kaiba-are you ill? Is everything all right?"_

That haunted look he'd given her. Like he'd seen death and beyond. All gray and puckering and senseless.

_"I'm fine, Miss Gardner."_

As he'd walked away from her towards the front door, something had tugged at Téa's mind then. Dangerously.

Her voice beginning quietly. Measuredly. " _Mr. Kaiba, is Miss Ishtar all right? The maid reported that she didn't eat her breakfast this morning-is she ill?"_

Seto Kaiba had paused then, his fingers gripping the polished door handle like he wanted to rip it off. Shoulders tensed.

Voice flat and quiet. Defeated.

_"Miss Ishtar is no longer staying with us. She left last night."_

Téa had almost gasped aloud, covering her mouth with her hands at the last possible moment to stifle the rather rude sound.

"Mr. Kaiba-"

_"As far as I'm concerned, she never was here. Understood?"_

_Ishizu Ishtar-_

_-how could she-_

Téa looked back at Yugi tried to force her lips into a smile, her attempt at a light-hearted laugh falling flat. "Anyway-you don't need to worry. Mr. Kaiba won't fire me-he wouldn't be able to run his house without me-"

Yugi took in a deep, shuddering breath, before turning towards her and moving both of his hands to cup her face, causing Téa to blush impossibly crimson at his touch.

"Y-Yugi-"

His features impossibly earnest as he replied. "Well, Téa, I hope you're right. But in the event that he does dismiss you-" and he gently pushed back that annoying unruly strand of hair out of her face, making her lips start to tremble. Her eyes so adorably large.

How he wanted to kiss her-

"I want you to know that if that  _does_ happen-just-just know that-that I would quit."

Téa's mouth fell open with shock.  _He wouldn't-_

"Yugi-you couldn't-not with Solomon still here-not after all Mr. Kaiba did for you-"

Yugi's mouth was a thin, hard line. "If he decides to be so petty as to sack you for this-well-he doesn't deserve our working for him. Besides-" and here he leaned in tentatively, carefully watching every sweet flutter of her eyelashes- "the best part of-of being here, Téa-is getting to see  _you_  every day. So-I mean-"

And here he trailed off awkwardly, closing his eyes tightly, thoroughly embarrassed at the saccharine nature of his statement.

 _I certainly hadn't planned to tell her_ that  _way-_

Tea's neck and forehead dipped past pink to match her scarlet cheeks.

_Does he really mean-_

Despite herself-

-despite the mess of a situation she'd found herself in-

She allowed herself an almost giddy, toothy grin as she looked back up towards Yugi. His eyes still shut, lips still parted, his breathing unsteady and entire face gone brilliantly red.

She moved her hands to Yugi's thighs and pushed off them lightly, lifting her rear off the stool to plant a kiss on his burning cheek. Then on the other.

Yugi's eyes blinked open, his vision gone blurred for a moment as the sensation of her lips registered. "Téa-"

_Could she really-_

_-could I be so lucky-_

Her tone was characteristically businesslike as she hopped off the stool and came to stand before him, pressing her forehead against his.

"Yugi, just kiss me  _properly_  already so we can get on with the rest of the day…"

Yugi cradled Tea's face gently, closing his eyes again as he bent down to fulfill her request.


	12. Red Rose

Seto Kaiba's ears were clogged. His head unbearably light and squeezed as if between two immovable palms. Compressed. Crushing.

Not to mention his roaring headache.

For someone who flew quite a bit for his work-not to mention the fact of his owning a private jet to facilitate such matters-Seto Kaiba  _strongly_  disliked flying.

At least this part. The taking off and the landing. When his stomach began to do flips and sink through the very floor of the machine, his heart skittering around, dragonfly-esque, when the plane achieved liftoff or touchdown. However smooth. Just a faint hint of nausea accompanying both phenomena, sure as a sunrise. Each and every time.

He crossed his legs, attempting to get comfortable in the plush leather seat, moving his hands to clutch at the armrests. At least until the ragged butterflies in his stomach ceased their relentless careening pathways and settled down.

_Breathe. In. Out._

Something so simple-

He swallowed hard, waiting for his ears to pop as the plane's path leveled, carving through the dusky clouds like the edge of a knife. For a sliver of the pressure to relieve itself.

His eyes watering as his head suddenly-blessedly-felt like it was deflating. The excess air escaping on a sigh as he leaned back and allowed his eyes to flutter closed. The furrow in his brow to relax.

A voice disrupted his new-found calm. "Would you care for a glass of lemon water, Mr. Kaiba? Some tea?"

_That damned Roland. So solicitous-_

He didn't bother opening his eyes as he answered, voice layered through with weariness, "no, Roland. I'm fine."

It sounded just as rotten as he felt then. Roiling. Trembling. Hoarse.

After all, the reason he was  _on_ the damned plane in the first place was surely enough...

The limousine driver paused for a moment.

"Are you sure, Mr. Kaiba?"

 _Even_ Roland  _is concerned for my well-being-_

Clearly, the worn-out mask was slipping. Had outlived its usefulness. He supposed every shifting emotion was visible on his face now. Not only to his staff and personnel, but to clients as well. The way his hands would tremble as he wrote. Typed up reports. The dry-throated spells that would take hold just as he was about to deliver the final pitch-in German or Mandarin, no less. The cracks in his voice. Followed by cracks in composure. Then shattering entirely.

To put it bluntly-

-things were  _not_ going well.

_Of course, me being on this damned flight isn't exactly going to help matters-_

"Ah-yes, Roland. I'm sure."

In his more rational moments, he could pretend he  _wasn't_ quite sure why he'd done it. Convince himself that perhaps curiosity had overtaken him. Of a sadistic sort.

_That-_

_-that most inconvenient envelope-_

An unwelcome splash of ice water as Téa had handed it to him in the foyer of Kaiba Manor, her face grave and earnest. He too shocked by the sending address to ask why he hadn't been given the envelope at his office as per usual-

_Miss Ishizu Ishtar_

_3427 Brixton Road_

_London_

_EC1Y 8SY_

_United Kingdom_

-too sickened by the handwriting on the envelope itself-suddenly seeing  _her_ , her taking the time to write it out-his  _name-_ at top of the sending address-

He'd barely noticed the blazingly worried look that had crossed Téa's face as his fingers had scrabbled desperately to open the envelope. To find out what the hell that woman could want. What  _more_ could she  _possibly_  hope to do to him? What final horror-or mockery, perhaps-laid beneath the neatly sealed envelope?

_"Mr. Kaiba-"_

_"Go."_ Wincing from an unexpected papercut, legs feeling suddenly quite unsteady beneath him, the exacerbated lack of sleep causing him to abandon all euphemisms of tact and manner as he addressed his chief of staff.

Much to his chagrin, Téa had paused then. Like Roland had just now. Pity flickering in both of their eyes.

_"Mr. Kaiba-sir-are you sure-isn't there anything I can do-"_

_"I'm not going to say it again."_  He couldn't look at her, even as the blood leaking from the slit in his index finger threatened to soak through the cream-colored paper folded inside the envelope.

He placed his finger in his mouth carelessly, sucking on the cut like a child would as Téa, sensing intuitively the futility of pressing the matter further, bowed her head and left him standing alone there. Alone in the massive foyer.

The massive foyer of his massive house. Where he and he alone reigned.

King.

Atop the hill. Solitary.

The house was so damned  _large._ So many useless rooms with no one to fill them. To sit and talk in the sitting rooms. No one to stoke a fire in one of the fireplaces as the evening wore down.

No one to gaze at the numerous tasteful artworks carefully selected to match each room's furnishings.

No one to sleep in the bedrooms.

He had unfolded the slip of paper and let the envelope fall to the sleek wood floor of the foyer, walking over to one of the tasteful white-and-black couches in the adjacent sitting room and taking a seat as he began to scan the thing.

_To Mr. Seto Kaiba,_

-he nearly bit his tongue clean in two as he heard it.

Her  _voice._

The way she said something as simple as his name. The cold, brusque, frightened tone she had used when he'd first taken her from the apartment. A shiver embedded within. Implied. Evoked. Then that neutral, almost curious way she'd pronounced the sounds as he'd become less of a stranger to her.

That disgustingly intimate way she had come to use his given name. Like it contained the idea of a smile. Whether whispered into his ear crooningly or cried out like a melody in response to  _something_  excellent he'd managed to do.

He heard it all.

Every lie she'd laced into her words. Like tiny, broken curses.

In his bones.

It had taken him several times reading it over before meaning had taken root. There was, it seemed, a thesis talk. At the Courtauld. Something she was presenting. Her research of the past several months.

The title she'd chosen to give her talk like another slap in the face: "On Pasttimes and Errant Hours: Depictions of Game-Playing and Hobbies in Painting."

_Game-playing. Like a duel. A battle._

_Game-playing._

_Like a lie._

A meaning chosen, no doubt, with him in mind. A coded message only he would understand. Her laughing at him from thousands of miles away. Taunting him.

As she had in his dreams ever since she'd left.

Since he'd made her leave.

In the cold light of day he could pretend it was sick curiosity. The woman who had sought to kill him, now attempting to pull him back into her web. It very well could have been that she didn't expect him to accept the invitation, handwritten though it may have been; after all, Seto Kaiba had  _not_ gotten to where he was by falling for the various traps laid out before him all nearly and perfectly planned. She had to know this as well as he did.

Or perhaps he could pretend he sought edification. Perhaps the damned talk would be interesting. Diverting. He didn't know much about art, aside from just generally having rather fine taste-and certainly nothing about the topic of the thesis in question.

And he needed to get out of the house anyway-why not the city, the prefecture, the damned  _country_ , even-?

Mokuba  _was_ always telling him to take a vacation…

Yes.

He could easily pretend that was why he was on a plane, taking a red-eye flight to London to hear Ishizu Ishtar give her Master's degree thesis lecture at the Courtauld Institute.

Pretend that those reasons were the long and short of it.

He didn't dare to think of the raw, bruised reasons. Perched on his shoulders. Weighing him down. Bubbling beneath the skin. Uncurling in his rib cage.

He didn't dare think of it.

* * *

 

Green-faced and pinched, Seto lifted his head off his chest as his eyes jerked open; he gritted his teeth reflexively as that familiar sensation burbled in his stomach. His palms began to sweat as the engine roared to life, each successive slight dip in altitude causing another wave of sickliness.

He planted his feet firmly on the carpeted floor of the plane's interior and waited impatiently for the plane to finish its all-too slow and yet too-quick landing.

"We have begun our final descent, Mr. Kaiba." The speaker in the armrest console crackled to life as the low, muffled voice of the captain rang throughout the cabin.

Seto sighed delicately and fought the urge to retort something unnecessarily harsh, his features contorting as he sucked in his cheeks, his heart floating up to clog his throat as the plane lowered through concentric rings of clouds, swifter and swifter until the picturesque city-scape of London came into view through the half-open window.

Even as Seto was gnawing at his lower lip in an attempt not to be sick, he couldn't help but just  _slightly_ admire the view as the plane shifted directions to lower itself towards Heathrow.

He swallowed down bile as he felt the back wheels of the plane touch down on the runway, then the front ones with a tired squeal that did nothing to soothe the stress combing through his veins.

"We have touched down, Mr. Kaiba."

_Did they think I didn't feel that pathetic excuse of a landing? I ought to fire this idiot and find someone who can properly do this..._

Although perhaps it wasn't prudent to make such a hasty decision in the throes of airsickness-

Then in a whirl it was unclipping the seatbelt with shaking hands, his stomach finally settling down as he disembarked, smiled testily all throughout customs-expedited, of course-errantly noting that perhaps he should eat something, barely registering the strained reactions and looks he garnered from passers-by; whether they were reacting to his (lower level of) notoriety or merely how gaunt and hawklike he looked as he walked through the airport, briefcase in hand, Roland trailing behind. Then it was Roland opening the door of the black Rolls-Royce in a flash, the sleeting rain pelting down on top of them both, drenching the city in gray as the car pulled away from the curb and into traffic.

* * *

 

He lay awake twisted in thousand-thread count sheets, every cell of his body roaring agonizingly as he shifted position. Moved to lie on his side. His body gravitating towards the left side of the bed. Curling up in the fetal position.

Impossible to sleep.

As if even  _this_  bed, this strange foreign bed, weren't safe. As if it was tainted by that memory he carried around of her. On his back. Standing next to him. Over his shoulder. Lying beside him, an invisible painful presence taking up space. On the right side of the bed. Where she'd been when she'd been in his bed.

There.

Not there.

He grunted a bit as he sat up and rubbed at his eyes, wincing as a flash of moonlight streaming in through the window hit him in the face like a slap.

The mere thought of seeing her-

 _-_ it  _hurt._

_Incessantly._

An open wound that had failed to scab up properly. Wouldn't. Festering up, sickly-yellow.

And would.

_Over three months and it's still the same-_

He could still feel her rounded nails trailing gently over his skin. Along his back.

Her soft voice in his ear.

Like a memory had sealed itself to him. Slipping through his skin. Bleeding into his veins. Sliding throughout him.

_"I think I might love you."_

_"Seto-you asshole-I tell you I'm in love with you and this is how you respond?"_

" _I love you. That's the truth of it. The whole blasted, bloody truth of it. I-I can't bear to think of you being hurt now-by anyone-"_

Words spoken like they'd been truth. Rather than lies spat out in moments of cruelty. Staged like everything else she'd ever said. Done. Been. To him. Orchestrated.

Everything he'd  _told_  her-

 _-shown_ her-

-cut himself open and laid himself out completely before her. Naked and bare and impossibly unafraid.

_"I came with you-because I was going to kill you. Be-because you threatened my family-my brother-I was-"_

_That_  had been the truth.

For a rational man-

-a man guided by intellect and reason-

-too much of him preferred living in the soft hollow of that lie.

* * *

 

Ishizu rubbed her eyes for what must have been the eighteenth time, the ends of her hair brushing the stack of papers on her lap as she capped her ink pen one last time. The ceiling light flickering desperately, the one remaining bulb clinging to dear life with everything it had as Ishizu studied her notes one last time.

It would have to suffice.

The thesis she'd slaved over for the past several months-the research, the drafts, the advising, the rewrites-

-all leading to this. This (heavily-annotated) pile of papers. The key to the next step to her dream. That career, once looming so far on the horizon, seemed  _that_  much closer now.

_It's not a doctorate-_

_-once I can afford to do that, I surely will in time-_

At twenty-eight, sometimes it seemed as though time were fluttering by faster than she could catch up to it. Reach out and touch it. Scrape her nails along the sensation of time passing by. Getting older.

_At this age, my mother was married and I was born-she was pregnant with Odion-_

_-and here I am, still in school._

_What have I to show for being twenty-eight?_

She was sure if Marik and Odion were here, they would be the first to encourage her. To remind her that a Master's degree was nothing to sneeze at-indeed, a great accomplishment and one to be proud of. Surely she would be able to find work as a curatorial assistant someplace.

She shook her head roughly as if to chase away unnecessary thoughts. A strand of hair clinging to her lip as she sighed a heavy, thick sigh. Feeling the stress of the past several months clench at the muscles in her back. Her shoulders tightening as she scanned her notes one last time.

_This has to be enough. I honestly can't look it over anymore-_

_Though the topic did prove quite fascinating-_

_-"On Pasttimes and Errant Hours: Depictions of Game-Playing and Hobbies in Painting"-_

From the Egyptians playing  _senet_  to Toulouse-Lautrec's sketches of card-playing…

She'd thrown herself into the work like it would make her forget.

She wondered if he would even come. How he had reacted when he'd read her invitation.

Perhaps he'd thrown it away without a second glance. Unable to even entertain a memory of her. Perhaps he'd burned it.

Or perhaps he no longer cared.

_"After all, while I may have convinced myself that I was indeed in love with you, your confession makes it that much easier to let go of."_

For his sake, she hoped that was the case.

_"I love you."_

Just thinking of him still brought harsh, biting tears to her eyes. Her skin screaming into hypersensitive gooseflesh.

" _I love you."_

What it had felt like to be  _loved_  like that. Held. Kissed. Seeing those usually-cold eyes rendered warm just by the mere  _existence_  of her. Before him. Next to him, her skin brushing his.

" _I love you, Ishizu Ishtar."_

She could still  _hear_ it.

Part of her wished she hadn't even told him. Swallowed down the lie like she had so many others. They could have managed it. Happiness. Despite the strangeness of it all. How they'd met. How she'd  _hated_  him.

_And now look at me-_

She swept her gaze over the cramped, cluttered flat. The clothes draped over the edge of her bed and over the kitchen counter. The dishes piled in the sink, water still dripping from the lips of bowls. The endless books and articles stacked on the couch. Pencils stuck between the cushions. Papers on the floor. Clothes on the floor. Wrinkled.

The room of a depressed person. It fairly  _stank_  of it. That hollow,  _sad_  smell that denoted something wrong. Connoted lack of energy. Loss. Lack of trying.

_Mourning._

She sighed once more and lifted her notes off of her lap, laying them on the floor by the side of the bed. The pen falling off her lap and landing in thin, raggedy carpet. A yawn overtaking her, her eyes fluttered shut and she raised her arms above her head, cocking her head to one side and rolling back her shoulders. Slow. Languorous. Tired.

Exhausted.

_Well, even if he doesn't show up, at least I'll be able to see Marik and Odion again... It's certainly been long enough…_

Her flat certainly wouldn't hold the three of them, anyway-

_Might as well check when their plane is supposed to get in-_

She lifted her ancient laptop from the end of the bed and onto her lap, tapping at the keyboard dully, waiting for the thing to spark to life.

She could see herself reflected in the gray-blackness of the screen. The dark circles under her eyes. The largeness of her eyes as she stared hopelessly at the blank screen.

_No good._

She moved the laptop to the carpeted floor beside her speaking notes and rolled over onto her back. Pulled the thin blanket over her legs as she turned to look out the window.

The pinking buds of spring in the park across the street had given way to the lush greenery of summer's approach. The early light of dawn piercing through the steadily falling rain. A golden haze filtered through pattering gray.

_I suppose I ought to get some sleep-_

Rolling away from the window, she curled into the fetal position and groaned to herself as the bedsprings wailed beneath her.

Nothing.

Her eyes shot open as she felt something like a  _hand_  on her cheek. Like a caress. A memory of being touched  _so_  softly.

Like he was  _there._

_"Ishizu-"_

She sat up sharply, blinking rapidly, her breath coming in shallow pants, a bead of sweat dotting her forehead as the trilling of songbirds accompanied her awakening.

_Can it be morning already?_

Her head had never felt quite so heavy, her eyelids weighed down with sleep.

As she picked out a button-down and long skirt, brushed her teeth and waited for the weary coffee-maker to sputter out something approximating the necessary beverage, she couldn't help but clearly remember the taste of the coffee she'd had back  _then._ In that time. That black hole pocket of weeks when she'd felt different.  _Been_ different.

Happy. Like the person she could have been. Had she just held her tongue and stayed.

_For someone who once planned on committing murder, what a surprisingly moral thing to slip out-_

_-something I couldn't just hold in-_

She folded up her finalized notes and slipped them into her purse, slid on her good pair of sandals, and crossed the threshold of the flat before closing the door behind her.

As she ducked out from under the awning and into the light rain, wishing she had enough change for a cab, she headed for the dank Underground station and took the first subway car that appeared.

Waiting.

Waiting for the whirring jolts of the motion of the Tube and screeches of wheels on the track to drown out the incessant beating of her heart, thundering in her ears as she grew closer to the Courtauld.

Bring her back to life.

* * *

 

Seto smoothed out the front of his gray wool suit, ideally suited for the chill of early London summer, and took a tiny, perfunctory sip of a mimosa. Throughout the rather stately lecture hall at the Courtauld Institute, replete with podium and lectern under a handsome archway at one end of the room, was a speckling of white-bearded and gowned academics and various guests, all swarming around the small round tables with their white tablecloths. Chatting. Talking. Gesticulating wildly. Enjoying the light celebratory brunch before the newest class of Master's degree recipients gave their thesis talks.

He felt utterly out of place;  _what the hell is an arms dealer doing here amongst these ivory-tower nerds_ , he thought irritably, draining his glass and coughing lightly as the champagne rushed down his throat, eyes watering as he placed the flute on one of the nearby tables.

As he scanned the crowd an uneasy feeling began to overtake him; beginning in his feet and spreading throughout him like an incredible, nauseated lightness. Tingling.

_She could be in this room right now-_

_-somewhere amongst all these people-_

_-her-_

And he couldn't see her. Not in one of the clusters of endlessly doddering people, their cheeks stuffed with pastries, yammering on about useless, touchy-feely things that ultimately had no bearing, no place at all, outside of the university or museum gates.  _None_. Not in the  _real_  world where actions had  _consequences_  and  _art_  surely was an afterthought, a mere spoil of war-

-the world into which Seto Kaiba had been thrust  _far_  too early.

And then he felt it-

-the lightest of breezes on his cheek. A sudden wavering, a blurring of his vision that could  _not_  have been due to the pitiful amount of alcohol lingering on his tongue-

-heard-

Then  _saw-_

_-her-_

* * *

 

Ishizu cleared her throat, tucking in her skirt once more and making sure she looked more presentable-and wholly less nervous-than she felt right at that moment. All those people. Her professors and the Courtauld faculty, all enjoying light refreshments before she and her classmates were to give their final talks. On that podium. Behind that lectern at one side of the room-so high above the crowd at their circular tables. All eyes would be on her. The room's silence airless as they'd wait for her to speak.

_Me._

Expecting her to say something eloquent. Scholarly.  _Groundbreaking_ , even.

_I do hope Odion and Marik made it here all right and on time…_

She gripped her purse tightly at her side, her chest suddenly  _impossibly_  tight. Lightheaded from the lack of proper breakfast, perhaps. Certainly not from something so pedestrian and unprofessional as  _nervousness. Anxiety._

And the buffet table  _did_  looked pleasingly stacked with all sorts of pastries…

She ducked out from behind the fluted column and took small steps into the lecture hall, pasting a tiny, serene smile on her face as she adjusted her bearing, giving little polite waves to the familiar faces she passed, all of them beginning to run together before her eyes while she took a deep breath and sought to focus.

_Calm. Collected. Controlled._

_I can do this._

Like so many other times she'd had to swallow some aberrant emotion in order to project a more desirable front…

As she picked out a scone and began to add some jam and clotted cream, a familiar voice rang in her ear, warm and deep.

"Well, well, well. Look who's the great scholar  _now_ -"

Ishizu nearly dropped the china plate containing her breakfast as she turned sharply to lay eyes upon Odion, handsome and no less intimidating than usual in a dark-wash jeans and a black button-down shirt, Marik standing by his side, cheeks too full of pastry to greet her properly, his ponytail having grown out into a thick, pale braid over one shoulder.

" _Odion-Marik-_ " Ishizu broke out into a grin, her cheeks warming with pleasure as she carefully set the scone down on the table beside her as she was wrapped up in Odion's strong, homey embrace, rising onto her tiptoes to plant a quick kiss on his cheek, feeling his bear laugh as she wriggled free and lunged towards Marik, his eyes going wide behind his glasses as she clung to him tightly.

"Ah, I'm  _so_   _glad_  you made it…" She let go of Marik and stood back to take in her brothers, their grins almost as wide as hers as they studied her in turn. "Flight okay?"

Odion snorted wryly as Marik glared up at him. "Well, if one can expect to sleep with  _this_  idiot snoring like a blasted  _banshee_ -using the window seat, no less…"

Marik pushed his glasses up his nose and pouted. "Oh, like  _you're_  one to talk, Brother-you took up that whole middle seat and  _then_  some-and the  _food_  was like something  _I'd_  make…"

Ishizu couldn't help but giggle at this display, reaching down for her scone and taking a bite, trying to avoid getting the cream on her upper lip. "How's the business?"

Marik suddenly paled, biting his lip and looking down sharply at his feet. At the best shoes he owned, faded and scuffed nonetheless. Feeling distinctly uncomfortable in his threadbare khakis, just  _slightly_  too short to be fashionable, the fuzz from the itchy sweater-vest tickling at his chin.  _Well-_

_I didn't want to have to tell you this so soon, Sister-_

"Not-not great, Ishizu." He reached up to scratch at the back of his neck as Odion looked between them cautiously, wanting to say something to reassure his sister but not knowing  _quite_ what to do…

Ishizu felt her stomach fall through the floor, her hands beginning to shake, her breakfast threatening to tumble to the floor; she set down the plate and lifted both hands to cover her mouth, fighting to muffle the too-loud gasp that threatened to escape. "I-I'm so sorry, Marik… Odion…"

Marik looked thoroughly miserable, still unable to meet her eyes. "I've had to begin-well- _selling_  some of the nicer items in the inventory-to the local museum and to some private collectors, of course-things like the Egyptian scribe figure and the Etruscan pieces…"

Ishizu's eyes widened in horror as she nearly swallowed her tongue. "You-you can't  _do_  that, Brother-those-those were  _Father's_ -"  _The things that Father acquired years ago-before we were even born-before he'd even met Mother-_

_-he can't-_

"I know, Sister…"  _But what choice did I have?_

An awkward, pregnant pause as the three Ishtar siblings looked anywhere but at one another; Marik still fixated on his shoes, Odion studying the ceiling  _fresco_ , Ishizu picking at a piece of dead skin around her thumbnail.

_I'll have to postpone the doctorate… take a few years, find some good-paying work-a graduate stipend would barely be enough for me, let alone leave enough to send home-_

She very nearly wanted to cry.  _Twenty-eight. I'm twenty-eight and I'll still be in graduate school for five more years at the bare minimum-_

Her voice came out strangled. Disembodied. Like she was hearing herself from far away. "It'll be alright. I'll help you manage-I'll find some work once-once I give this blasted lecture, of course-"

It was then that she  _felt_  it. Something like hairs prickling on the back of her neck.

- _the very last thing I need right now-_

It was impossible to regret sending him that cursed invitation more than she did right now. Curdling within her. Cold. Icy. Like a half-awakened fever dream, leeching throughout her. Gnawing at her. Teeth dull and sharp.

_In the room. Here. Now._

Like fingers running down her spine.

_-I don't know what I expected-_

She both wanted and didn't want it.  _So very much_.

_He's here._

* * *

 

She took a deep breath, fiddling with the scone on the plate. Knees threatening to crumple. Knowing it was  _only_  a matter of precious minutes before he  _saw_  her.

-before  _she_  saw  _him-_

And then she didn't know what she would do. What  _he_ would do.

_Why did he even come-?_

_I-I-_

She was very nearly overtaken by poison-winged butterflies all alight in her stomach.

_I never should have invited him-_

He swallowed hard as he took her in from across the room. Over at the buffet table with those two buffoons she had the misfortune of being related to. The small blond one-the  _real_ fool-staring like an idiot at his pathetic, too-informal footwear. The large, rather frightening one- _best not make_ that one  _angry-_ looming over both of them.

And  _her._

Like a vision. Nightmare. Dream. Half-suppressed scream ringing in his ears/ Something utterly  _despicably_ real before him. Dressed in a simple button-down shirt and long dark skirt. Her hair around her shoulders, reaching almost to her elbows. As if she hoped to pass for nondescript. As if she hoped to pass on by without anyone seeing her. Noticing her. Her apparent lack of makeup, save for kohl about the eyes, adding to this estimation.

As if anyone could avoid noticing her.  _Her._  And her  _everything._

How could Ishizu  _ever_  think she could pass for plain? How could the world-anyone on any street corner, in any room where she was-not merely  _sigh_  with  _wonder_  at how  _exquisite_  a person could be?

Hostage. Companion. Temptress. Lover.

_Liar._

All these things.

A simple, single  _person_  holding so much  _radiance_  and light even as she stood there, fiddling with her fingernail, a slight hunch in her shoulders evident, hair falling like a curtain by the side of her face as she looked down. As if she hoped to hide. Could ever hide.

_Not from me. You can't hope to conceal that from me, Miss Ishizu Ishtar-_

Though he supposed  _he_ ought to be the one hiding. Running. Calling for backup.

A chill shuddering down his spine as he remembered her aggrieved confession. As he so often did. When he opened his eyes in the morning. When he stared off into space, eyes glassing over. More and more these days at inopportune moments.

When he attempted to close his eyes at night. Seize a few hours of painful, restless sleep.

_She was going to kill me. She would have done it._

_Perhaps she still will-if I were to ever venture into that embrace again. She might._

A wildcard. A bolt of lightning. A storm disguised as a woman.

And he was caught in the twister.

He stuck his hands in his trouser pockets to hide the way his hands were beginning to tremble almost violently. Biting his lip to swallow back something like  _damned tears_  in his eyes as he continued to stare at her. Everything else gone a blur. She the only thing in focus.

_Of course._

_Of course I had to_ still  _feel this way-_

_-even after everything._

_I am the worst sort of fool._

And then he nearly choked on his own breath as, with one of her usual, gentle gestures, she picked up her dish, poked dully at the cream-covered scone, and-

-like a ripple on the surface of a lake-

-turned her head slowly to face him. Her blue-green eyes impossibly wide for the briefest of moments. Those perfect lips falling open, then white teeth emerging from that lovely mouth to bite the lower lip with barely-contained alarm. Fright.

_Surprise, even…?_

_She_ is  _the one who invited me…_

Marik and Odion quickly followed Ishizu's gaze, Marik barely choking down a small cry of shock as he saw him, while Odion merely narrowed his eyes with suspicion.

_What in Ra's name is Seto Kaiba doing here?_

As if hearing their unspoken question, Ishizu murmured, her voice almost broken, "I invited him. It-it was  _me_ -"

At this, Odion nearly wanted to reach out and shake some sense into his older sister. The woman who, throughout his long-reaching memory, had always been in  _such control_  of things, be it the behavior of her younger brothers in that motherly way.

Control of her own temper to the point where it was unclear if she  _had_  such a thing.

" _Did you ever wonder why I offered to go with Seto Kaiba in your place?"_

" _I went with him because I was going to kill him."_

Control of her own  _desires-_

His own cold, callous, dismissive words. " _She obviously thinks she's in love with him. It's called Stockholm Syndrome."_

Her reflexive denial. " _I am not in love with Seto Kaiba, Odion-I-I just-"_

Her behavior at the police station-

-what Marik had seen before Odion himself had given it much of a true stab at a thought-

" _You were right when Ishizu came back to get her things, Brother-well, not quite."_

-it was all too clear.

It was a desperate,  _sick_  love. Drenched with blood. Portending nothing fruitful, nothing  _healthy._  Only bad things. Suffering on both sides and in equal measure. Hanging over both their head's like the executioner's axe. Rusted.

"Ishizu…" Marik managed to sigh under his breath, his voice cracked and steeped in sadness. Pity. For this strange thing that had taken ahold of his sister and refused to let her go.  _Him. This._

_There's no way this ends well-_

_-Sister-_

Ishizu smiled crookedly, apologetically at them. "I didn't think he would actually  _come_ …"

_Indeed._

Bowing her head to her brothers, she carefully laid the plate back down on the buffet table and turned on her heel, feeling her chest constrict, her cheeks warming incessantly as she approached the tall brunet in the gray suit.

He'd been watching her for what felt like hours, but really only could have been a minute or so.

She  _felt_  it. As if she were somehow attuned to being both caressed and dissected by those eyes.

Just as she'd felt it every morning in the Manor when they'd eaten breakfast. When she'd played her game. Ensnared him bit by bit until he was  _putty._  Malleable. Controllable. Just as she'd controlled everything _._

Everything, it seemed, but one crucial part. The keystone. The crux. The wedge.

As she saw the familiar smirk alight on his features, she couldn't help but soften slightly. A hitch in her breath as she remembered in the most base and  _visceral_  way what that smirk had once indicated. What it had  _meant._  For him to look like that. Eyes gleaming with evident delight. A sort of strange playfulness.

He was almost  _too_  handsome to be truly  _here_. Too  _delicious._ So often he had made her forget herself. In ways both subtle and overt.

It would have been  _so_  much easier if it were merely lust for his body.

_Seto Kaiba._

Kidnapper. Puzzle. Companion. Lover.

_Victim._

Above all.

That's all he had ever been. Until he'd somehow become more.  _Somehow._

Somehow he'd made her  _forgive._  Forgive the unforgivable. Forgive and cling to, reckless and freely. Like he was all that had she'd ever needed in this way. Would need. Unforeseeably. Stretching into the horizon.

_We could have been happy._

_If only I hadn't said anything-_

"Seto Kaiba." Her voice contained a hint of a smile, her eyes reserved and polite as she extended her hand to his. Formally. Businesslike. Speaking a language he would surely understand.

Up close, he could see she'd lost weight. Unhealthily so. Her shoulders beneath the fabric of her blouse looking rather bony. Her cheeks hollow, eyes larger in that incandescent face than in the face he saw each time he closed his eyes.

_I'm sure she just forgot to eat-_

_-being a graduate student and everything-_

_-I'm sure she must have been nearly as busy as I-_

It didn't mean that he had to like it.

A lump rising, painfully throbbing, in his throat as he clasped her now-delicate hand in his, shaking a few good times, feeling his skin  _recoil_  and shiver into gooseflesh as he felt that familiar callused palm with his. Dropping her hand as soon as it was polite.

Up close, she could see he hadn't been sleeping. Even for him. Eyes clouded. They'd taken on a haunted look since she'd last laid eyes on him. None of that spark. That wry warmth she'd grown accustomed to in just a short series of weeks. The smirk on his face looking more and more patently false as she studied him. Beneath the soft skin of his eyes, dark circles lingered like impressions painted into his skin.

She supposed those had become a permanent fixture. Her heart sinking before she could even register  _why_.

_He's-_

_-he's no better off than when he sent me away-_

_-Seto Kaiba-_

His palm, so soft and  _wealthy_ , slipped out of hers, those elegant hands returning to his trouser pockets as their eyes met once more.

"Miss Ishtar." Delivered on a breath hoarser than he'd like. His skin feeling both too loose for his bones and yet too tight to contain him, stuffed to the brim with something bubbling and toxic.

Ishizu bowed her head in greeting, folding her hands in front of her demurely. "I-I must say, Seto Kaiba, I didn't expect you to come."

_Why are you here…?_

Seto tried for something dry and clever. Like himself. Not like the shell. "Well, Miss Ishtar, you  _did_  invite me... " Delivered with something approximating a slight chuckle. Almost coming out like a cough.

Ishizu pressed her lips together for a moment, lowering her gaze to the floor to stare intently at her shoes. Her voice a cracked murmur. "Well, forgive me if I didn't exactly see it coming… It's just rather unexpected, seeing as how-well-" she paused, sensing Seto shift position, his weight moving to the other leg, not daring to look back up at him.

_-how things ended._

_"You will gather your things and leave. When you are ready, Roland will be waiting for you outside with the car to take you back to your home."_

His last words to her. Impenetrably cold. Subconscious anguish buried in each note of his voice. Six feet below and sinking. Threatening to spill over like so many bubbling, heated tears.

_"As you wish, Seto Kaiba."_

And she'd done nothing. She could have begged. Could have pleaded. Attempted to convince him why she'd told him in the first place. After all, she'd had no need to tell him anything.

_Why couldn't he understand that much-_

_-that_ that's  _why I told him-_

_-no agenda-_

If Ishizu had expected to be unaffected by his presence before her, there in the Courtauld lecture hall, she was sorely mistaken. Even from thousands of miles away, merely writing his name on the slip of paper, then waiting as her dinosaur of a computer found the appropriate address for her to send it off to-he'd  _been_ there. At the forefront of her mind. The crisp piece of paper folded so neatly in the envelope, Ishizu just barely avoiding a papercut as she sealed it off.

Dropped the two envelopes in the mailbox on the gray sidewalk outside the flat. Heard them fall with a tinny sound.

And then it was done. Out of her hands. Up to him to decide.

Clearly he had.

_But why._

_Who knows why I even did it-_

_-after all, I have Marik and Odion here to celebrate my good fortune-_

As if the research for her thesis hadn't wracked her through each day as she stuffed her laptop in her backpack and tunneled over to the Courtauld's library.

The curious look on her thesis advisor's face as she'd suggested the topic. The older woman removing her wire-rimmed glasses to wipe them on her scarf as she'd considered it.

" _Well, Ishizu, I must say, it's a fairly different direction from the course-load you took last term…"_

Ishizu had paused then, wondering how much to divulge. How much to explain this sweeping investigatory idea. The bounds of propriety.

" _Well, Professor-a lot of things have changed since last term."_

The hours upon hours of research, often working until the break of dawn, switching on the lamp in her carrel as the hours ticked towards evening, then taking a break to stretch as dawn broke through the windows, her yawn echoing off the barrel-vaulted ceiling like a ghostly shout. Breathing in the parchment-leeched air, the scent of old books like a comforting friend.

The research had been fascinating, surely enough. For civilizations both ancient and modern, games and recreation had proven to be common enough subjects in the visual arts. Dice games, tile games, card games. Some of the more esoteric ones reminding her, a slight pang accompanying the realization, of the intense strategic decisions accompanying that game she'd played. Sitting across from  _him._  Duel Monsters. Pegasus' creation.

To be fair, it would not have been inaccurate to say that learning to play Duel Monsters was not a fair amount of the catalyst for this choice of topic. However unorthodox.

Sitting across from him then. Feeling him watch her intently, his long eyelashes trembling as his eyes swept over her form. Both out of desire and curiosity. A triumphant smile bubbling behind her lips as she'd played an unexpected hand.

Standing across from him now. Feeling him straining to look away.

It was too much. It was not enough. Like an ice-cold pinch on the flesh of her forearm. This distance between them impossibly cavernous and treacherous. Only a few feet. A few months. A few words. Of things unsaid and said. Wept. Begged.

_-I-_

_-it's no good._

_Seeing him again like this-_

_-nothing's changed._

Seto bit his lip nervously as he looked down at her, at her bowed head and shining hair falling all about her shoulders and upper arms, unsure of what exactly to say next. His heart like some roiling thing in his chest. His throat. Stomach.

He clenched his fists in his pockets reflexively as she took an unusually sharp breath. As if she were about to say something.

It was a fluke. A false alarm, the soft rise and fall of her shoulders meaning nothing.

Silence floating between them. Thick and cloudlike. Dense.

He couldn't see the way her features had arranged themselves. How those  _eyes_  looked, once so clever and sparkling. No tiny, cheeky smile tugging at her lips--come alive with delight.

It  _bothered_  him.

He dug his fingernails into his palms abruptly, banishing the ephemeral memory with a needed flash of pain.

It was  _this._  Seeing  _her_  again. In the flesh. Solid and  _there._  Not like a dream. Too perfectly  _real_ to be a dream. The frayed threads along the seams of her shirt too detailed, too imperfect to be the conjuring of his own mind.

The way her fingernails had been bitten to the quick.

Too much for a dream. Too much for a nightmare. It just…  _was._  Had to be.

After all,  _he_  was there as well. Standing in a lecture hall at the Courtauld Institute of Art, not even pretending to give a damn about mingling or enjoying himself in some small, useless way before Ishizu was to speak.

He'd flown all this way…

… for  _what?_

To torture himself this way-to allow this sudden proximity to her after so  _long_ , this intimacy of location if no longer of true closeness to acidly claw at him from within? For closure-to prove he no longer missed her, achingly and  _desperately_ so?

_Why did I even come…?_

There hadn't been a question. His heart lifting oh-so-briefly in that intangible moment when he'd seen the envelope, daubed all through with strokes of anger and suspicion and fear. Feeling  _something_  for the first time since she'd left. Something other than needless  _longing. Pining._

He'd  _had_  to go.

Because even if she  _had_  lied the whole time-

-lied about the kind of person she was-

-lied about  _somehow_  having tripped into the inexorable stupidity of falling in  _love_  with him-

-yet telling him so  _freely_  and  _openly_ -

-the invitation  _had_  to mean  _something_.

Whether a cruel taunt from something cruel and vicious hiding behind that lovely face, or-

- _something else-_

He didn't dare to think it. Felt it coiling about his ankles like toxic smoke. Spitting. Demanding notice.

 _I just wish I could_ tell  _when she-_

-was lying.

_"Yes, well, you certainly had me fooled. Rather frightening of you, isn't it? To be able to be such a chameleon-a different Ishizu for all seasons, for all possible situations. Each perfectly calibrated."_

When the emotions that seemed to be rattling through her as they did now were genuine.

Whether they ever  _were_  that way.

The way she'd played with him. Captured him in those sure, dexterous hands. Rendered his judgment null and void. Dressing and undressing to tease him. Consciously. That switching from frightened to warm and back again. Between coolness and blazing heat, scorching him through, seemingly without her even noticing.

The ultimate fantasy. Designed to lure him in on her hooks, he letting her pull him ever closer without a struggle. To do it well and quickly.

_But that, too, was a lie._

_No woman is like that._

_No one woman is truly all those things-_

_"You had me locked up in this house. In a single room for much of my time here. Using me for your own benefit-parading me around as your new lover because you couldn't find an actual willing partner-"_

_"Besides, Seto Kaiba-who are you to be so high-and-mighty-you're the one who designs and sells weapons for a living-you've likely killed more people than you can count-"_

That violent flash of fury, threatening to blister his skin with its intensity. Righteous in its intent, despite the ridiculousness of the idea of her staking such a claim.

 _That must have been a facet of the_ real  _Ishizu Ishtar._

_"Well, I must thank you for being so forthright with me, Miss Ishtar. It feels like I'm talking to an entirely new woman."_

Relentless. Unforgiving. A bit of a temper, to put it lightly.

Not such unfamiliar qualities, if he were to be entirely honest.

He couldn't help but wonder what other secrets lay, untouched and unraveling, beneath that impeccable exterior.

_It's rather late to be asking that question-_

- _to be curious about Ishizu Ishtar-_

_-these are the things one should rightfully find out before-_

_-well-_

He finally found words. Stabbed them into his mouth. Let them loose.

"Ah, well. Mokuba's always been telling me I need to take a vacation. London's not bad this time of year-and, well, I couldn't help but be  _intrigued_ by your choice of topic, Miss Ishtar."

From their perch by the buffet table, Odion and Marik could not help but  _gawk_  at this strange interaction taking place only a few yards away. The shock of seeing  _Seto Kaiba,_ of all people, at Ishizu's thesis talk was  _one_  thing,  _especially_  given the way things had been left to wither between them-

-and to think Ishizu had  _invited_  the bastard-

Marik took another bite out of a cream-covered scone, the pastry tasting inexorably dull and mealy as he chewed and swallowed, looking from the scene across the room to Odion and back again. His older brother's face was impenetrable. Stony. Forbidding.

A slight hiccup in Marik's voice as he mumbled around a mouthful of food. "You don't think-"

_-she invited him here to finish what she started-_

Odion shook his head quickly, catching Marik's meaning. "I do not, Brother. She's too far gone for that sort of thing to be a concern to her."

_She's too in love with him-_

_-now, the better is question is why would Seto Kaiba even accept the invitation?_

_He's the one that sent her away-with good reason, mind-_

_-what could have possessed him to accept the invitation-_

_-unless-_

The thought was thoroughly unpleasant and sour in his mouth. Despite the fact that it was ultimately wanted. Desired by Ishizu. What she couldn't have dared to hope for. Even after all this time.

_He's still in love with her._

Marik wiped a bit of clotted cream from his upper lip. "Odion-what are we going to  _do_ -I mean, he made her leave, which, y'know,  _did_  make sense, after all-but if-if he's here  _now_ -"

_-if only because Ishizu invited him-_

_It was_ that  _simple-_

Odion shrugged then, crossing his arms in front of his chest and continuing to stare at Ishizu and Seto where they stood.

"This is going to be-pardon my language-a  _shitshow_."

_And those two idiots have no idea-_

Ishizu couldn't help but feel a bit awkward then, lifting her eyes to meet his tentatively, the words feeling fuzzy in her mouth. "Ah, well-ever since I learned how to play Duel Monsters-you might say I've taken an interest in the topic-"

Seto let out a hiss of a breath as she looked at him. Carefully. And he looked back. Trying to keep his features neutral and perfectly controlled.

"Glad I could serve as a source of inspiration for your work, Miss Ishtar."

Something twitched at the corner of his lips.

The way he said her name-

-formal and detached. Dully. Nothing like the way he'd sighed her given name once upon a time. Murmured it. Laughed it from his lips, from his throat, from his chest, a full belly laugh. As if he could never say it enough. As if saying it over and over again like a melody were the proof.

The proof that she had been  _real._ There  _with_ him, if only for the shortest of possible breaths. Like a gap in time, a pocket where they'd made a home together. In his bed. In the lake. On the boat, their bodies tangled together in a heap as the starlight glowed down on them, the tiny diamonds reflecting in their sweat-slicked skin.

She supposed the formal use of her name was meant to prevent all that. As if he could pretend it had never happened.

As if he'd never been in love with her at all.

From somewhere in a corner of the lecture hall, a bell chimed quietly but firmly. Indicating that it was perhaps time to stop mingling and start winding down. Already men in black trousers and shirts were folding up and rolling away the round tables, while still others carried folding chairs, setting them up before the podium and lecture in neat rows.

Ishizu watched them move, her eyes growing wide with a sudden resurgence of trepidation, of nervousness, her lecture notes somehow weighing down the purse draped on her shoulder. Her lips parting as her mouth fell open, then, remembering herself, she pressed them back together again, her mouth an impossibly tight line.

As Seto watched, enthralled with her face and its every exquisite micromovement, Ishizu closed her eyes briefly and took a deep, shuddering breath.  _It's time._

A delicate smile spread on her face as she opened her eyes and looked up at him, almost apologetically. "I-I have to go give my lecture now. Um-"

_Perhaps he'll enjoy it? Somehow?_

Seto bit back something like a reflexive grin at just how damned  _adorable_  she looked then. "I'll leave you to it, Miss Ishtar."

_It's no good._

_She's too dangerous-_

_-and yet-_

Ishizu bowed her head and, clutching her purse, turned on her heel and walked towards the podium, where she was greeted by the embraces and good-luck wishes of her classmates and the firm but proud nods of her professors.

"Thank you, friends, colleagues, and guests, for joining us today." The old man at the lectern with the extraordinarily white beard-the president of the Institute and a scholar of French Romanticism-greeted the audience colloquially, his voice grandfatherly and lilting. As he stood under the rounded arch, nodding and smiling, some of the men in black uniforms walked up on to the podium behind him, carefully carrying a large white screen onto which the appropriate images were to be projected during the talks.

"The Courtauld Institute is proud to present our most recent class of students receiving the Master's degree."

As some cruel god laughing above somewhere would have it, Ishizu was to speak first, as she was the only one presenting on ancient art in some way, shape, or form-the rest of her classmates had taken narrower, if perhaps deeper, foci, all later along the timeline of history.

"We will first hear the thesis lecture of Miss Ishizu Ishtar, who will be presenting her research on game-playing and recreational hobbies as depicted in painting. Thank you."

Her eyes slowly prickled with tears that she blinked away, twisted, breathless, and feeling utterly and unpleasantly weightless as she retrieved her notes, handed off her purse, lifted her skirt, and climbed up the few steps to the podium. Managed to glide the several feet to the middle of the platform. Gripping the lectern perhaps a  _mite_ too tightly for the gesture to go wholly unnoticed.

The audience, having taken their seats, all stared up back at her. In the front row she saw her brothers, supportive as always. Warming her heart for a short, sweet moment.

And in the back row-

-like a specter-

-watching her intently, as if she were the only person in the room-

She cleared her throat and laid out her notes before her, lifting the remote on the lectern and pressing the appropriate button. Squinted awkwardly as she accidentally looked into the blinding purple-white light of the projector apparatus standing in the middle of the two rows, holding onto the the lectern to steady herself from swaying.

_Here goes nothing, I suppose-_

"Thank you for joining me today."

* * *

 

Ishizu gnawed on her lip, hoping that none of her classmates or professors-let alone the people in the audience, currently watching the last student speak-would notice how she shifted her weight from side to side, waiting for the whole blasted process to end already. The speaker's voice a dull drone in her ears, buzzing about uselessly as she attempted to keep her feet from falling asleep. Endless pins and needles.

Her eyes darting about the room, both looking and trying not to look. Focusing on anyone else but on the man in the last row. His legs crossed, his arms folded across his chest, gaze intently focused on the young woman on the stage, who was delivering her talk about something-or-other related to the American Revolution. Gilbert Stuart's portraits of the American President George Washington or somesuch thing. Not particularly interesting or enthralling, although, Ishizu reasoned,  _who am I to judge something like this? It's not as if my talk could have been all that engrossing-_

Yet unlike her brothers, Ishizu noted as she flicked her eyes down to the front row, where Marik was currently yawning, struggling to keep his eyes open, and Odion was glaring off into space, Seto was watching with a true sense of what seemed like-

- _curiosity_. Something twitching about his lips, his glassy eyes seeming to have a bit of life in them. Nodding along with the more active audience members, something like a tiny, flippant  _smile_  gracing his lips every time one of the speakers made some sort of corny art-related joke.

_Could it be-_

_-he's not utterly bored by all this?_

_Either that, or he's a better liar than I'd thought…_

Despite herself-

-despite everything-

-something like a nascent warmth began to spread into one of the cold places in her chest.

* * *

 

"Well, Marik, Odion, it was wonderful to catch up with you-I'm so glad you could make it-"

Dining with Seto Kaiba by himself would have been one thing in and of itself. Utterly nerve-wracking to be so  _close_  to him once more, within his breathing space, their knees knocking against one another beneath some small café table.

Close enough to pull him in for a kiss.

_If only._

Dining not only with Seto Kaiba, but also with her brothers, however, had been another thing entirely. The three men seated around a square table at a nearby restaurant, their postures equally tense and guarded; Ishizu trying to breathe deeply despite the suffocating tension in the room. At the table.

Seto studying the menu firmly, his eyes not leaving the laminated piece of paper. Marik and Odion having not touched their menus, instead having chosen to merely glare at him.

_Why did she invite the bastard to eat with us?_

Ishizu had sighed quietly, taking a sip of ice water and licking her lips, pretending to study the dinner specials. Regretting already the errant words that had spilled from her lips. The idiotic lightheadedness that had made her think that inviting Seto to dine with her and her brothers was in any way a decent idea.

_Why did I invite him to eat with us?_

She must have had a spell of madness then. Or something.

Seto had looked rather caught off-guard, for his part. A strange mixture of emotions swimming across those patrician features as he'd considered the invitation. Not wanting to appear as malleable as he somehow seemed to be in those hands, he'd clicked his tongue several times, giving the indication of deep thought.

Then he'd bristled, then appeared to relax for the briefest of moments, his voice resigned as he'd accepted.

And so there they'd been, seated around a table in some darkened room, Marik and Odion pretending not to acknowledge Seto's existence, directing all of their questions and attentions to Ishizu, making useless chatter. Not daring to discuss anything of importance. Not giving Seto Kaiba the satisfaction of knowing the Ishtar Antiquities Company was suffering. Repeating useless conversations they'd had earlier, faking a sense of cheeriness neither felt at the time.

Ishizu had merely pasted on something like a smile and engaged with her brothers' extraneous chatter, occasionally shooting Seto looks of what could very well have been apology at this. For her idiotic idea for which everyone at the table seemed to be paying.

They'd ordered, their food had arrived, and they'd eaten, Seto looking sour-if not at the food, then at the damned situation, where half of the table was perfectly happy to beat him to a pulp and Ishizu-

- _well._

_Why the hell did she invite me to eat with her and her brothers?_

"Anyway…" Ishizu trailed off as her brothers continued to glare at Seto Kaiba, not taking notice of her words.

"Ahem."

They shifted towards her, Marik's braid flying around his shoulders as he turned his wide lavender gaze on his sister.

_How to do this-_

Ishizu cleared her throat and folded her hands on the table, interlacing her fingers as she looked at her brothers. Then at Seto. Meaningfully. The sudden spark in her eyes making him dry-mouthed.

"Now, if the two of you would excuse us, I'm sure Seto and I have some catching-up to do." Calm. Placid. Firm. Determined.

_What the hell-?_

Seto looked nearly as taken aback as her brothers did, quickly hiding the fact that his mouth had fallen open, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, while Odion pressed his lips together into a firm line, Marik nearly rising from his seat with frustration.

"Ishizu-what are you-"

_Sister-why must you do this to yourself-_

_-this man-_

Odion swallowed hard, trying to stop a growl from crawling into his voice and settling there, turning everything dark and rough. "Ishizu-do you  _really_  think that's a good idea?"

_I mean-_

_-for you to tempt yourself-_

Ishizu closed her eyes in annoyance, feeling a headache coming on, and lifted one hand to pinch the bridge of her nose.  _My gods… don't make this harder than this needs to be._

When she opened her eyes, she noticed Seto was watching her with a rather curious look. Almost entertained at this familial infighting. Wondering, perhaps, if she'd be able to work whatever sorcery she'd managed at the police station. To get her brothers to drop those  _ridiculous_  charges against him. She  _clearly_  had them wrapped around her little finger in that way-

_I wonder how much of the real Ishizu her brothers know._

_I wonder if they know-_

-about their beloved elder sister's rather  _murderous_  tendencies. About that thundering, crackling rage that had shocked him in its unadulterated  _purity._ Its  _intensity_.

How much she had  _hated_  him…

Ishizu glared at her brothers, sitting up straight and attempting to look down her nose at them. Not changing her mind on the subject. Immovable.

_I need to talk with him-_

_-to try and set things right-_

She shifted her gaze downwards, bending over and reaching for her battered old purse. Her tone falsely motherly. Almost condescending in its gentleness. Its softness. "I'll give you both cab fare to your hotel. Now, if you'll  _please_  let me go about my business…"

A single knife-like look from her, direct and unmodulated, managed to silence the Ishtar brothers.

_End of discussion._

* * *

 

"So."

His voice was quiet and soft. Almost drowned out by the sound of rain pattering on the gray pavement.

She didn't dare look up at him. Kept her eyes straight ahead of her, her hands coming to fold behind her back. It was enough to feel the warmth of his body beside her, their footsteps creating a syncopated counter-rhythm to the brisk feel of the rain. Accumulating on their skins and clothes oh-so-slowly. Rendering crispness into something more and more approximating rags in her case.

So  _aware_  of his gentle, almost  _patient_  gaze on her body. Something she'd grown so accustomed to. Expected at this point. Him looking at her.

Even when he shouldn't have had any reason to want to do so.

_Even though he should never have come to see me in the first place._

Her heart in her throat. Chest constricting in anguish as she realized the truth of it.

She never should have sent that invitation. Let him move on. Let him  _forget_  Let the twisted memories of her grow distant. Like a mere outline in some far, buried corner of his mind.

Let him forget that he had once felt a certain way towards her.

" _I love you, Ishizu Ishtar."_

She didn't care if he hated her now.

Perhaps it would be  _better_  that way. If he could hold her in his heart in  _that_  way. Not some other way that had her mired in confusion. Eyes welling up with beadings of tears, her heart crushing and crumpling in on itself, rendering her hollow and weak.

_Why did I invite him?_

_Why did he accept?_

A memory tugging at her mind.

" _Why do you want me to stay with you every night, Miss Ishtar?"_

His voice suspicious. Curt. Demanding the truth.

She couldn't have given it even then. Not the whole truth. A deflection.

" _I-I don't know, Seto-why do you always say yes?"_

_I'm selfish._

_I wanted-_

_-I wanted._

She was suddenly made even more aware of it, her breath then coming out slightly thick and heavy as she  _felt_  him looking again. His eyes sliding along the edge of her cheekbone. Combing like expert fingers through her hair. Studying every small detail. Burning into his eyes with beautiful agony so that he would never forget this moment of being beside her again. This moment where he was close enough to  _touch_  her once again.

This moment of something like meeting one another.

For the first time.

"So."

An impasse.

He didn't dare try to stop walking. To create a situation where he'd have to be punished and taken aback by those  _eyes_  again. That exquisite flower of a face of hers. Turning towards him with confusion. Better to keep walking, making his steps slightly shorter so as to allow her to keep up as they turned the corner and began to make their way, he supposed, towards the general direction of her apartment. It was getting late, after all. The sunset a blooming red sketched over with blackened rooftops, tiny plumes of smoke rising, only adding to the brilliance of the color.  _Only natural that she should want to go home-_

He wasn't going to take it as an invitation to come along with her. Into her home. He wasn't  _that_  foolish. Despite everything.

It wasn't some flickering hope on the horizon. Never had been.

He'd get a cab or something. Call Roland and have the driver rush through the heaven and hell of the crooked London streets to pick him up wherever.

Reliable. Consistent. Like footsteps moving steadily forward and onward.

Things Seto Kaiba had once clung to as some measure of reality.

_Why did I even come?_

_Why did she even invite me?_

_This strange woman-_

She wished in that moment she'd thought to bring a jacket or coat of something of that nature. If only to shield her from what was becoming a  _most_  unpleasant fall of rain. Her blouse almost embarrassingly wet and sheering, droplet by droplet.

He only wished in that moment he'd brought an umbrella. Despite the strangeness of how it would look. To have  _her_  beside him even closer, her forehead coming up to his chin as they huddled together like some nonsense couple in a romance novel. In a fairytale.

She spoke again, a slight catch in her voice as a drop of rain snaked down the side of her face and landed on her collar.

"I suppose I'd better apologize first."

An imitation of a laugh coloring her tone.

A shiver suddenly rippled through her, loosely enough for Seto to notice. His eyes widening as he saw how  _cold_ and uncomfortable she must be now that the rain was showing no signs of abating.

_I'm such an idiot._

Looking down, she saw him stop. His expensive shoes pause on the pavement. Remove his fine wool suit jacket in a carelessly graceful gesture and proffer it to her, eyes round with worry.

"Oh, Seto, please, you don't have to-" Yet as if it had a mind of its own, her hand reached out for the coat and grabbed hold of it. Feeling the softness of the silk lining beneath the pads of her fingers. The warmth and comfort it promised.

Still she stood holding the jacket, unable to move in that moment. As if considering the merits of something so  _close._  Of being able to smell his scent. Wrapped around her like the idea of an embrace.

_I shouldn't-_

Seto couldn't help but narrow his eyes with annoyance, his voice coming out harsher and more cutting than he meant it. "Ishizu, just  _please_ , put on the damned coat already-"

He froze as the once-familiar name slipped past his lips. Pressed them together as if to call it back. As if her  _name_  alone didn't render him incapable of clear thought. Only  _stupid, tender_ nonsense and everything she'd grown to  _mean._

_I'm not going to have her die of pneumonia, at the very least-_

Ishizu flicked her eyes up to meet his guardedly as she pulled the coat around her obediently. The shoulders strangely almost filling out the material, though the sleeves were rather too long. Her gaze never leaving his, even as a mass of rose smeared across the pale skin of his cheeks. A different kind of show.

_He's so thin-_

She was immediately glad for the coat, and allowed herself one sigh of pleasure as warmth poured into her bones. A contented smile dancing about her lips.

Seto simply staring, transfixed at the sight before him. Not caring in the least that the rain would surely ruin his considerably expensive shirt. Hand-woven. Hand-sewn.

It didn't matter.

She was so  _beautiful._  Even with the rain soaking through her hair, clumps of inky black clinging to that  _neck_  as she attempted to push it over her shoulders to fall down her back. Even as bedraggled as she was now.

Radiant. Like she was imbued with starlight.

_Have her eyelashes always been this long?_

They seemed to be catching the lion's share of the rain beating down on her face. Her lips, still smiling slightly, so  _soft_ -

With the patience of a saint he waited for her to button the coat before looking at her further. Didn't dare look down. Tempt himself with remembering everything about her. Even the baser parts.

He very nearly wanted to cry. To lose control of his tightly-wound temper and scream at her. As he'd wanted to before. That night. His response somehow cool and controlled as the chill of the truth of her words had anchored his heart somewhere in the pit of his stomach.

He raked a hand through his hair almost violently, sending a wave of rainwater down onto his shoulders, soaking the shirt clean through. His mouth a bitter slash across the lower half of his face. Tearing his eyes away to look somewhere else. Anywhere else but  _her_.

"Ishizu-"

Plaintive. A prayer. Ragged.

Broken.

The thought brushing him like bird's wings:

_This hurts too much-_

Ishizu's eyes widened, her mouth falling open as she reached out a hand towards him reflexively, only taking it back at the last possible moment. After her fingertips had brushed his sleeve, making him almost hiss with alarm.

"Seto-"

"Why did you invite me, Ishizu?" His voice was tight and cold, slightly wobbly as he pronounced her name for the second him in what might well have been eons.

Ishizu looked down sharply, clenching her hands into fists for the briefest of moments as she found her voice, strangled with an attempt at lightness.

"Why did you accept?"

His voice was almost a sneer. "Don't give me that, Ishizu Ishtar. Why  _did_  you invite me, after so  _long?_  To  _taunt_ me? To laugh at me with how  _well_  you were doing- _are_  doing-that I'd _never_ crossed your mind the way you've  _haunted_  me since-"

_Since-_

Then quieter. Lower. A sour taste in his mouth. "-or did you want to finish the job? What you meant to accomplish when you took your brother's place?"

_Haunted? Me?_

_There's no way that could be true-_

Ishizu bit her lip in frustration, willing herself to remain calm even as the warmth and blasted  _scent_  of the coat threatened to render her coolness soft and ineffectual.

_Two can play at this game, Seto Kaiba-_

"What I told you the night you sent me away was the  _truth_ , Seto Kaiba-I told you because I  _loved_  you-because I wanted to be  _honest_ with you-because being with you, for  _however_ short a time, made me so  _happy_ -" She clenched her hands into fists again, her hands swallowed by the too-long sleeves of Seto's jacket. Hiding the way they shook. The way her  _voice_ shook as she continued.

"Besides, it's not as if  _you_  have any high moral ground to stand on, Seto Kaiba-my brother made a  _mistake-_ and I'm sorry if  _one_  mistake on something so  _trivial_  means that you write people off so  _quickly_  and demand that they be punished, that they  _suffer_ -"

_What kind of person can live like that?_

"This is why you're  _alone,_ Seto-in that big house, with only your  _servants_  and your brother to help you hide the blasted fact that you have  _nothing-_ because you won't  _forgive_  like a human being-you won't let anyone in-"

Seto bristled, his hair having since gone completely flat from the rain. "Oh,  _I'm_  the one who's inhuman now, Ishizu? I tell you that you've been on my mind like some  _fucking_  ghost ever since you left-never giving me peace, never, never,  _never_ -you, the one who planned to  _kill_  me-the one who meant to mock me with that invitation to your  _damned_  thesis talk-"

 _Even the_ title  _of her thesis talk-a cruel way of laughing at me once again-_

"And for the record, Ishizu Ishtar, I  _did_  let someone in once. A  _completely stupid_  and  _foolish_  thing for me to do, given our relative positions-but I  _did._ I  _dared._ I managed to do _something_  like a  _human_  and let myself believe I was in  _love._  And  _look_ where that's gotten us, Ishizu-"

He paused and took a series of short, shallow breaths, the rainfall echoing around them. The sky having gone through to an infinite blue-black. The sound of distant thunder from miles away.

Ishizu gritted her teeth. "And I  _told_  you, Seto-I was in  _love_  with you-I  _felt the same way as you_ , despite  _everything_ , despite the fact that you  _took me from my home_  and  _threatened my family_ -despite everything-I felt the same way as you-"

_I did-_

_I-_

The use of the past tense curled unpleasantly off her tongue like toxic smoke.

Seto swallowed hard, crossing his arms in front of his chest as if to protect something. "And as  _I_ said, Ishizu- _how_  in the  _hell_  am I supposed to  _believe_  that? That I didn't waste something _I_ apparently don't have the capacity to  _give_  on someone who  _lied_  to me, day in and day out-not only about  _why_  you took your brother's place, but about  _everything_  you  _are-_ "

Ishizu bit back a cry, wrapping her arms around herself as if to hold herself together once more. Desperately. As if she would be rent apart down the middle.

Her voice was somehow calmer than she thought herself capable of. "Seto-if I  _didn't_  love you- _why_  would I have  _told_  you-I-I didn't  _have_  to say anything, because the plans had  _changed,_ Seto-"

- _I never should have said anything._

_-no-_

_-I never should have looked at him that way. Tried to play with him that way-_

_-who could have expected that I'd-_

Seto sighed weakly, shaking his head softly back and forth. Giving physicality to the pained struggle warring within his chest. Looking as openly miserable as she'd ever seen him, the purple-blue circles under his eyes dramatically pronounced. So  _tired._  Of  _everything._  His face sickly and gaunt, cheekbones seemingly carved out of marble. All drenched with rain.

"So I was-I  _am_ -supposed to take it on  _faith_  that you  _do_  feel the same way-that you don't  _still_  want to-"

_Faith is for the frail. The superstitious. Not for the ones who value logic and reason and facts-the ones who survive in this world-_

Ishizu looked up at him, her eyes blazingly bright even as her voice was soft.

"Seto-"

Her hand reaching out touch him once more, then pausing and closing into a fist, which she brought to her mouth, biting at her thumbnail nervously. To the quick.

_That's it, then, isn't it-_

"I suppose you'd have to trust me, wouldn't you…"

Seto closed his eyes, his legs threatening to collapse beneath him. His tone utterly exhausted. The  _weight_  of it all dragging him ever downwards. Curling. Crumbling. The end of his sanity. Judgment.

"Ishizu-I don't even  _know_  you. I don't know  _how_  I can be expected to trust-"

He stopped. Opened his eyes. Took in the woman standing before him. The coat he'd insisted she borrow completely soaked through, gone through nearly to charcoal. Useless wool under a raincloud that was still streaming down.

Her hand trembling. Still balled up into a fist before her mouth. Eyes looking right back up at him, half-lidded and-

- _the look on her face-_

-he'd never seen her look that way before. Even when she'd been crying in his bedroom, her truth escaping from her in gusts and sputters, her eyes swollen with hot tears. Like she was frantic. From having revealed too much of from the very prospect of destroying  _this._ What had been there. Moments earlier.

And never again.

She looked…  _resigned._

As if she'd given up the fight. As if her strange efforts at trying to revive something that had perhaps already passed on had drained her completely.

Ishizu felt her eyes grow glassy as she looked up at him. Minding racing. Edges becoming dull with effort. At keeping composure. Keeping herself together.

_It's too hard._

_It's too hard._

_Love is utterly useless if this is what it's meant to-_

She cast her gaze downwards, to where her skirt was ankle-deep in a puddle. Allowed the steady rain to soak her through. Until she could feel it in her bones. Becoming. Melting. Disappearing. Ishizu no more. Some wet and miserable thing in her place, standing dumbly before him.

"You're right."

The words escaped her before she could think them through.

"You should go, Seto Kaiba. I'm sorry to have invited you-to have you come all this way for nothing."

_I wanted to see you again._

_That was it._

_I wanted to see you so much-_

_-that I didn't care about whether you needed to see me._

_The wanting is one thing._

_But I'm not what you need right now._

Seto watched her gnaw on her thumbnail almost viciously, her other hand still wrapped around her middle. Her eyes cast downwards. Her tone neutral. Perfectly even, as if she weren't completely disheveled and undoubtedly uncomfortable.

That  _perfect_  control over her moods he'd noticed and even faulted her for-

- _she's not serious. She's going to be a damned martyr for this if I let her-_

"There aren't many cabs in this area-if you walk a few blocks you'll be in luck-or maybe you can call Roland, I don't know if you had him come with you-"

_I have to know._

_What does it matter why she invited me-_

_-I know why I came here._

_Fool that I may be-_

_Fool that I am-_

_-for this. For everything._

She nearly screamed with shock, her skin coming strangely alive as she felt his hand, unsteady but so  _warm_ , reach out and cover her own. The fist whose thumb she'd been biting bloody, the skin around all red and threatening to bleed.

"Ishizu-"

Seto's eyes were cautious but bright as he gently uncurled her fist, the pad of his thumb drawing a smooth circle on her palm as he lifted her fingertips to his lips.

"I don't think we've properly met."

_What is he-_

That  _flutter_. As he brushed each fingertip against his mouth in succession.

Something she hadn't felt in ages.

Like the first time.

His eyes met hers almost challengingly as he lowered her hand in his, entwining their fingers together.

"I'm Seto Kaiba. The CEO of KaibaCorp. Rich and famous and all that nonsense. You might have heard of me."

That familiar wryness crawling back into his tone.

" _It's not every day when an arms dealer is treated like a teenage heartthrob…"_

" _Well, Ishizu-it's not every day when an arms dealer looks like me."_

_I don't understand._

_I don't understand anything._

Still awaiting an answer. Her answer.

The strange, heavy  _gravity_  of it all.

"I-I-" she began, suddenly rendered breathless by the  _look_  in his eyes. Startling. Breathtaking. Anticipatory.

She'd seen it only once before. On the boat.

When she'd told him.

_"I think I might love you."_

_"What was that, Ishizu? I couldn't quite hear you..."_

She chose her words carefully. Spread them out over her tongue richly. Not letting one go to waste.

"My name is Ishizu Ishtar. And-well-it's  _lovely_  to meet you. I look forward to getting to know you."

_We're such a strange pair, aren't we-_

"And I you." Playing along. This simple but serious game. His eyes searching hers carefully, his hand gripping her own tightly and firmly.

She allowed a beam to curve her lips upwards, nearly making Seto gasp aloud with how it made her look.  _Alive._  Impossibly so.

As if it could  _really_  be so simple.

Like breathing.

Perfectly natural.

A nervous giggle dancing from her lips. "Well, Seto Kaiba, if we don't get out of this rain soon, it will be a rather short-lived acquaintanceship…"

* * *

 

As they squelched down the hallway to Ishizu's flat, leaving twin trails of water behind them, soaking into the carpet, her hand still in his securely, Ishizu suddenly stopped in her tracks, stopping in front of her door, her cheeks suddenly blooming with heat.

"Um-Seto-if you wouldn't mind waiting outside for a moment-my flat's not exactly-um-"

 _It's a blasted pigsty-of course I have to be bringing him home for him to see_ this _-_

Seto quirked his lips into a crooked grin. "Ishizu Ishtar-you  _do_  realize I've seen you in compromising  _enough_  ways that the state of your flat shouldn't exactly be something you're worried about-"

Ishizu gnawed at her lip, lowered her head sharply, and dug around in her purse for her keys. "Ah-but that's  _different-_ -it's not like I'm embarrassed of  _that_  part-"

Seto raised an eyebrow, squeezing her hand gently. "Well,  _that's_  good to know, I suppose…"

_How bad could it really be?_

An abrupt shiver escaping Seto's lips halted Ishizu's bashful train of thought. Suddenly chilled to the very bone, his dress shirt sticking to him so fully she could nearly count his ribs-

Ishizu blanched, feeling him grip her hand in discomfort as he fairly  _shuddered_. Turning to look up at him briefly, she could see that his lips and the circles beneath his eyes were the same shade of bruised blue.

_Blast-he's going to have to see the mess-_

"Ah-well-we'd better get you inside and warmed up, Seto-"

_I can only pray he doesn't start laughing when he sees it-_

The keys rattled in her hand as she began to unlock the front door, tugging at Seto's hand as she stepped across the threshold and flicked on the dying ceiling light.

"I'm s-sure it's not  _that_  b-bad, Ishizu-"

He trailed off as he took it all in, the flickering overhead light providing a rather eerie context to it all. The clothes on the counter. On the floor. The papers on the couch. The enormous, unwieldy laptop on the unmade bed. Dishes and silverware in the sink- _thankfully clean_ , Ishizu thought uselessly as Seto scratched at his chin with his other hand, those keen eyes no doubt making all sorts of swift and final judgments. Unable to meet his gaze as she dropped his hand, venturing further into her flat and around a corner, scrambling for a clean towel for Seto to dry himself off with.

_Ishizu Ishtar is messy._

_Interesting._

Cheeks ablaze, eyes glassy with humiliation, Ishizu reappeared, holding a threadbare pastel pink towel out to him. "H-here, you can use this…" She swept her eyes over his thoroughly soaked form and paused while Seto gratefully reached out for the towel.

"Um-don't take this the wrong way, but you'll dry off faster if you take off your clothes…"

Seto let out a laugh then, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he rubbed the towel through his hair, looking down at her.

"Oh-? And how  _should_  I take that suggestion, Ishizu?" He raised an eyebrow as he began to dry off his face and neck, the useless towel already nearly sopping with rainwater.

Ishizu bit back a smile, looking up at him, licking her lips almost subconsciously, her voice full of implications. Letting them be there, unabashed and suggestively so. "Well-that's up to _you_ , isn't it, Seto Kaiba?"

_Ha._

And as he watched, she began to unbutton his coat and slid out of it gracefully, folding the garment and placing it on the kitchen counter, then gathering her hair into a bunch and twisting the ends, squeezing out the remaining water onto the carpeted floor.

The patience and morality of a saint was no longer required. Seto swept his gaze over her through half-lidded eyes, taking in how the dark skirt clung to those  _hips_ , then fixating on the white blouse, now gone completely sheer.

_She's too much-good god-_

"Nice bra." His voice full of mischief. A smirk embedded in those words.

Ishizu let go of her hair, cheeks flooding with heat once more as she looked down at herself reflexively. At her own breasts, encased in white lace-and entirely visible to Seto's eyes through the ruined button-down. "Ah-thank you." Allowing her lips to curl into a smile, gazing right into Seto's darkening gaze, so full of  _want_  in this moment, she felt that  _flutter_. Tremoring through her.

Impossible to deny.

She grinned at him then, moving her hands to the top button of her blouse.

"Would you like to see more?"

* * *

 

The bright sunlight peeked in through the window, illuminating the whole of the flat with a pale yellow gleam. Warmth pulsing through the glass. Incubating.

Ishizu felt Seto shift beside her in the twin bed, her body nestled against his, his body curved around hers almost protectively, his arm thrown across her body. His breathing, even and sure, tickling the back of her neck.

The thin sheets and blanket twisted about them. Rendered unnecessary through the mere warmth of their bodies. Connecting. Knowing. Falling apart together in a sweaty heap. Inflamed.

She didn't dare open her eyes.

Dispel the illusion. So  _real_  and sensory. Like she'd dreamt it. Like it was still a dream.

_If I don't open my eyes, I don't have to wake up._

She could pretend. Pretend he was  _here_ somehow. With her. Like this.

That he'd forgiven her.

Was trying to trust her in some small way. With the most important thing. Little by little.

"Nn." She felt him press his lips against the back of her neck, scooting in ever closer, holding her tighter against him. His hand snaking around her middle, securing her rear against his hip, fingers brushing downwards  _ever-so-slightly._  Gently.  _Perfectly._

A sharp gasp mingled with a throaty groan made that mouth on her neck break into a toothy grin. "Good morning, Ishizu."

Ishizu felt the blazing white-red heat behind her closed lids and attempted to roll over in the bed, her hair swinging out from behind her and hitting Seto in the face rather sharply, eliciting a slight chuckle, as she very nearly rolled atop him as she tried to switch positions. To face him. To see  _that_  face.

Like it was the first time.

One of his hands caught ahold of her hip and held it there, the long fingers digging into soft flesh. In place against him. Shiveringly. Leaving her no choice but to straddle him, settling onto him as lightly as she could manage as she opened her eyes to take him in. Below her, he shifted his body a few inches towards the window until he lay in the center of the bed. Nearly too short for his height; he bent his knees at a sharp angle behind her. His free hand stroking the inside of her thigh. Looking back up at her, his dark hair holding threads of copper and gold as the thick locks fell into those eyes.

"Your bed is  _entirely_  too small, Ishizu." Seto ran his pointer finger in lazy circles against the soft flesh, Ishizu huffing out a breath and leaning forward oh-so-slightly in response, her hair tumbling around her shoulders like a sleek curtain.

"It's not like I exactly  _planned_  on sharing it, Seto…" She smiled a Cheshire-cat-like smile and moved her hands to his chest, raking her nails through the soft hairs there, making Seto buck his hips slightly as her pinky nail found a sensitive spot entirely on accident.

"Nn…"

Seto lifted both hands to her waist, then slid them up to her back, fingers dancing along the muscles shifting beneath the skin, and pulled her down to him so he could kiss those lips again.

_This is the cruelest dream-_

_-if that's what it is._

He inhaled her scent deeply, letting his lips rest against the hollow of her throat. Allowing her to envelop him this way. Warmth. Tenderness. Something he hadn't thought he needed. Could live without. Surrounded. Protected by glass and steel.

Breathe her in. Her  _everything._  Incandescent. Those sighs she made as he kissed her neck like a tiny precious diamond. Piercing through his skin. Heating him from within. Making his pulse race. Blood throb in his ears.

Until there was nothing left to discuss.

_This is real._

He hadn't dreamt flying to London.

She hadn't dreamt him at her lecture.

He hadn't dreamt her in the street.

She wasn't dreaming him in her bed.

"Ishizu..." Seto lifted his head from her neck, already a faint patch of red from his incessant nips appearing on the skin there. Ishizu moaned quietly, lightly splayed her fingers on his chest, and pushed herself up carefully, then reached out for his hands, which she moved to hold her in place atop him again.

"I have to ask..." Seto moved one hand from the soft curve of her waist and began drawing lazy circles upward, the pad of his fingers soon brushing against somewhere that made Ishizu release an incredibly  _satisfying_ sound; he kept sweeping his fingers around the little nub of flesh almost cruelly, up until Ishizu was nearly panting, her own hands moving downwards until she reached the elastic of his boxers, as he asked quietly, softly, in a darkly humorous whisper:

"You haven't-I mean-you haven't been dishonest about  _this,_ have you?"

Ishizu opened her eyes, the thick lashes fluttering as his careful, skilled manipulation of her skin sent shivers screaming throughout her entire body. Flickering down her spine. Pooling between her legs.

_He can't really be serious-gods-_

She licked her lips and looked down at him. Those bright eyes round and curious, even as he continued to touch her. To do these things to her. Things that had her undulating on top of him, her voice breaking out into a melody of sighs and sounds of pleasure as his fingers moved round and round. Everything so electric. So sensitive. Weeping for his touch.

With a slight growl in her chest she reached for his other hand and moved it between her legs, his fingers scrabbling to dip beneath the fabric there. "See for yourself..."

* * *

 

"Ishizu..."

Ishizu cracked open her eyes to look at him. "Yes, Seto?"

His tone was calmer than he felt. Neutral and almost flippant where his mind was racing. Heart careening in his chest.

"Now that you've finished your studies-what are your future plans?" He dropped a kiss on her shoulder and lifted a hand to run through her hair. Cradling the back of her head, holding her before him. Eyes locked on hers. Observing every micromovement of her features.

_Where do I fit into those plans?_

Ishizu licked her lips. "I mean... To be honest, I have to get back to working a decent job. Just for a few more years..."  _Until the business isn't in such trouble anymore-_

"Hmm." He ran his finger along the curve of her arm, enjoying the goosebumps he raised. "I would have thought you'd want to get your doctorate."  _For a museum career-_

Ishizu looked away then, forehead wrinkling with regret, acidic tears brimming in the inner corners of her eyes.  _If only-_

She closed her eyes before articulating it. As if that would make it any easier. Her voice flat and thick.

"The family business isn't doing well. I have to postpone more graduate work until we're back on our feet."

Seto gave a tiny start at her words.  _The Ishtar Antiquities Company-_

 _-my word of mouth couldn't have done_ that  _much, could it-?_

- _I didn't realize they were in such trouble-_

He propped himself up on his elbows, a nervous look crossing his features. Cheeks paling quickly as he stumbled the words out. "Ishizu-I'm sorry if the whole affair with the mistaken identification- _well_ -"

Ishizu sat up beside him and danced her fingers along his collarbone, the lightness of touch belying the heaviness of her heart. "It's not your fault, Seto-we've been struggling-well-ever since Father passed on…"

_Marik just doesn't have the same eye Father did-Ra knows neither Odion nor I would even be sufficient enough to hold us out for this long-_

Seto licked his lips, color returning to his face. A thoughtful expression gliding across his features, his voice imbued with a wry smile.

"Ishizu-you  _do_  realize you're dating one of the richest men in Japan, right?"  _To put it lightly-what was I last year-top five? Top three?_

_If the Ishtar Antiquities Company needs a new patron-_

Ishizu's cheeks went almost pure ruby-red, her hand on his chest ceasing its playful motions. Curling into a tight fist, resting on his sternum. Her mouth tasting bitter.

_He's not-there's no way he could be offering such a thing-_

_-either way, it wouldn't be right-_

"Seto-whatever you're thinking,  _please_ -don't. I-we-cannot accept charity."

_Fair enough._

Seto leaned over and planted a kiss onto her forehead. Then the end of her nose. Then her lips. "Well, if that's not to your liking, Ishizu-well…"

Ishizu chewed on the inside of her cheek, lowering her head to nestle against his chest. Her hand moving to lie flat. Above his heart. The beating, strong and steady, reverberating throughout his body. And through her. Their breaths and hearts pattering out a sweet rhythmic melody.

Together.

"Well?"

Seto smirked, dropping a kiss into her hair. "My art collection  _could_  use a curator-what you saw when you stayed with me were merely several of the best pieces. I'm sure there's plenty of work for you to do there."

Ishizu lifted her head sharply, electricity buzzing down her spine. Skin erupting into gooseflesh.

_He-_

_-could he really be-_

"You're offering me a job, Seto Kaiba?" Her surprise roughening the edges of her voice, something like a squeak tangling through the last few syllables.

_Do I have to wear the blasted logo-?_

Seto laid his head back down on the pillow and reached out a hand, cupping the back of her head and pulling her face towards his.

"If you'll accept, that is."

Ishizu's lips curled into a grateful smile, her eyes warm and soft as she kissed his cheek. The long-suppressed tears now beginning to fall. One single droplet from each eye's inner corner, sliding down her cheeks silently. Accompanied by no further tears. Only by her glowing beam.

_Thank you._

_I can never repay this-_

Seto lifted the pad of his thumb to her face and very delicately wiped them away, making Ishizu giggle embarrassedly.

"Well?"

Ishizu broke into an equally smug smirk. "You're sure you're not just offering me some facsimile of a job in order to get me to stick around?"

Seto lifted his hand to cover his mouth in faux-shock, his eyes darkening with wolfish merriment. "Was I  _really_  so transparent there,  _Miss Ishtar_?"

She laughed then, closed her eyes for the briefest of moments and throwing back her head as the bell-like sound shook throughout her body. Lighting her from within.

Always dazzling him. Transfixing him.

Always would.

As if he would ever want to look anywhere else-

Ishizu quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe." She leaned forward and placed a deep, almost suckling kiss to his neck, eliciting a deep, throaty groan. Then another one to his lips.

Seto moved his hand to cradle the back of her head once more. Tangling his fingers in the silky strands and looking at her carefully. Meaningfully. A million foolish thoughts flitting about his mind. Even more senseless words threatening to spill from his lips.

_Please say yes._

_I love you._

_Please-_

"So-I mean-will you come back to Domino with me? Of course-this is  _really_  only a temporary measure-until your family business is back on its feet. Or until whenever you-well-"

_Decide to leave-_

_-to continue your studies-_

Ishizu allowed her eyes to meet his. So blue. Wide. Innocent. So unlike Seto Kaiba-so free of guile. Only need. Nakedly so.

Everything he couldn't bring himself to say in that moment. Wounds still fresh, but healing. Surely.

_I want this._

_Him._

_Everything._

_All of it._

She nodded to herself for a few moments before pressing the lightest, sweetest of kisses to his lips.

"Yes."

"Yes?" His heart could not have been beating more wildly than it did in that moment, his question coming out in a near-breathless shudder.

Ishizu smiled down at him, her heart in her throat. A lightness spreading throughout her body as she took him in for what would not be the last time. Would never be.

Words coming out a whisper.

"I'll go."


End file.
